The most wonderful time of the year is upon us, and for many a whisky lover the Holiday season is kicked of with the Diageo Special Releases. Or at least that’s how it used to be… nowadays the releases get plenty of scorn for their high price tags and bottles sit on the shelves for many years to come. But in the end, the thing I’m most interested in is flavour. And that’s why I will be pitching the releases head to head in the coming weeks, to see which ones are worth your hard earned cash. Starting with the Lagavulin 12 and Talisker 14 2025 releases.
The Talisker 14 is a cask strength expression from the distillery, bottled at 53,9% ABV. Matured in toasted American Oak casks by the heat of volcanic rocks from the Isle of Skye. Which to me sounds like a bit of a gimmick, but today we’ll just have a look at the flavours of this dram! This expression is dubbed by Diageo as the Talisker 14 Molten Seas!
The Lagavulin 12 on the other hand is bottled at a cask strenght of 56.5% and has matured in a combination of refill barrels and PX and Oloroso seasoned casks. Nothing truly unique or spectacular in the cask choice here. But it should deliver on the flavours we know and love from Lagavulin, as we all know sherry and Lagavulin is a match made in heaven! This expression is dubbed by Diageo as the Lagavulin 12 Grain & Embers!
Tasting Notes: Talisker 14 Molten Seas
Stats
Age: 14 years old
ABV: 53,9% (107,8 proof)
Distillery: Lagavulin
Chill-filtered: No
Natural Colour: Yes
Nose
The first thing here that strikes me here is vanilla. Now ofcourse that’s true for every single malt, but the abundance of it here is noteworthy. On top of that there’s a lot of citrus, with orange peel and kumquat most expressively available. There’s also some salted caramel, hot coals, apricot marmelade and a touch of sulphur. Giving this dram an expressive and complex nose.
Palate
The palate is very peppery, with jalapeño peppers most pronounced. There’s also honeycomb, freshly squeezed lime juice, cured ham and liquorice root. With some added hints of green apple and kardemom. A nice and complex palate, that holds plenty of flavours to be on the lookout for.
Finish
The finish is long, with a strong presence of liquorice root throughout. There’s also some lime zest and white pepper that lingers softly, with a touch of ash and more of the green apples as well.
Food Pairing
The Talisker 14 Molten Seas would pair lovely with a more fatty dish, like foie gras or créme paté. Unlike most Taliskers which always seem to be a marvel to pair with oysters. For a sweet option I would pair it with dark chocolate personally, but in my opinion this dram lends itself much more to a savoury dish.
Verdict
Strengths
This Talisker 14 Molten Seas offers up bold and intense flavours that last a very long time. There’s a pleasant balance between the peaty and its sweeter elements and there’s plenty of individual notes to be on the lookout for. I love that this is not a classic Talisker, it’s truly something unexpected.
Weaknesses
There’s plenty of flavours available as mentioned before, but to my disapointment they all seemed to stand on their own. The product as a whole felt a bit disjointed to me. It lacks the classic Talisker profile, with it’s destinct campfire and coastal notes we know and love. I mentioned this as a pro as well, because I always love seeing a new side of a distillery. Though it may disappoint the die hard Talisker fans, which is why I also list it as a negative.
Tasting Notes: Lagavulin 12 Grain & Embers
Stats
Age: 12 years old
ABV: 56,5% (113 proof)
Distillery : Lagavulin
Chill-filtered: No
Natural Colour: Yes
Nose
On the nose I’m getting classic Lagavulin. Lots of brine, peppered steak, iodine and smoked ham. There’s also hints of vanilla and apricot and then some more unusual notes such as wet moss, soil and rotten twigs. Very much reminiscent of a walk through the forrest on an autumn day (which fits perfectly with the current weather).
Palate
On the palate I’m getting maple syrup drizzled bacon bits, more cured meats and salted pork. A meaty dram for sure! Those mouthwatering notes are paired with a bit of depth in the form of salted liquorice, burnt caramel and salmiak. Bombastic in everything it does, this palate packs a punch!
Finish
The finish is long and meaty, with more of that charred steak and plenty of brine and ash. It does however turn rather tannic, rather fast. Giving off hints of popsicle sticks and leaving the mouth very dry.
Food Pairing
Let’s keep it simple here, this dram screams for a winter BBQ! Get some red meat on that bbq, give it a drizzle of Lagavulin and drizzle a bit in your own gob at the same time, and you might just find yourself in winter whisky heaven.
Verdict
Strengths
Classic Lagavulin, at cask strenght. That will never be a bad thing, that’s always a huge strength in my book. This Lagavulin 12 packs the punch you’re looking for and makes the Lagavulin 16 look like an easy sipper for beginners. I absolutely adore the meaty character, and after experimental casks such as the Tequila release from a few years ago, I’m glad to have Lagavulin back where I love it.
Weaknesses
I want to talk about the whisky first and foremost, but it’s almost impossible not to mention the price here. Once again the special releases saw a price hike and coming in at roughly 165 euro for a bottle, I find myself hard pressed to order a full sized one. The tannic presence in the finish is a huge downside as well, as I find myself savouring this years release much shorter because of it. But palate and nose are as pleasant as ever!
The Showdown
Lagavulin 12 Grain & Embers VS Talisker 14 Molten Seas
The Lagavulin 12 does what it does best, albeit with a bit of a disappointing finish. But Lagavulin lovers around the globe will be plenty pleased with this dram. That’s a huge contrast with the Talisker, where die hard fans might find themselves hard pressed to recognise the distillery character they know and love. Whethere you’re looking for something unexpected from these releases, or more of what you love will be the deciding factor in whether you choose the Talisker or the Lagavulin.
Personally I do like to see a new side of a distillery, and usually that would be my go to. But the Talisker felt a bit too disjointed for me, and I do love a good Lagavulin. The Lagavulin also clearly beats the Talisker on both nose and palate and for that reason I would declare the Lagavulin the clear winner in this little head to head.
Both come at a similar price point of 165 euro, and based of that price I’d highly recommend trying a sample before buying an entire bottle!
