Review: Game of Thrones House Lannister – Lagavulin 9 Year Old
The seventh expression under review from the Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection is Game of Thrones House Lannister – Lagavulin 9 Year Old, a single malt Scotch whisky from the Lagavulin distillery, located on the Isle of Islay in Scotland.
Game of Thrones House Lannister – Lagavulin 9 Year Old Specifications:
- Spirit: Scotch.
- Classification: Single Malt.
- Region: Islay.
- Age: 9 Years Old.
- ABV: 46% (92 Proof).
- Cask Type: Matured in 100% ex-bourbon casks.
- NCF (Non-Chill Filtered)? No.
- Natural Color? No.
- Price Paid: $55.24 for 750 mL.
Tasting Notes:
- Color: Amber.
- Nose: Sweet and smoky. Medicinal (iodine) and slightly vegetal peat. Caramel, milk chocolate, Graham crackers, orchard fruit, and stone fruit. After resting in the glass for some time, dark roasted coffee bean aromas start to develop.
- Palate: Strong smoke and iodine, followed by burnt caramel, dark roasted coffee, milk chocolate, graham crackers, vanilla, and baked banana. Buried beneath all that is a hint of cinnamon, slightly bitter apples, and a sweet, almost syrupy stone fruit note that comes and goes with each sip.
- Finish: Long. Smoke and iodine linger, accompanied by a ton of vanilla, burnt, salted caramel, and dark roasted coffee, with a hint of cinnamon in the background.
Lagavulin 9 Year Old sits in a somewhat odd middle ground between the more youthful and assertive Lagavulin 8 Year Old, and the older, more elegant Lagavulin 16 Year Old, failing to best or even match either whisky. If I want a big and brash Lagavulin, I’d rather reach for the 8 Year Old, and if I want a more refined experience, I’d rather reach for the 16 Year Old.
That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy Lagavulin 9 Year Old. Quite the contrary. It’s just that my expectations for Lagavulin are high, as I know they can do better. In fact, they have done better. Since Lagavulin 9 Year Old was released, the distillery has put out several limited releases under the Lagavulin Offerman Edition series, all of which are more unique and enjoyable.
Lagavulin 9 Year Old can still be found on closeout for under $50 in some markets, and at that price it’s worth picking up as a good bang for your buck daily driver. However, if you live in a market where the Lagavulin 8 Year Old can also be obtained for under $50, as I do, then I’d recommend the latter.
Rating: B- (80-82%).
A Second Opinion:
My cousin Jayson and I frequently participate in bottle splits and share samples of new releases. When possible, I’ll share his tasting notes alongside mine.
Jayson’s Notes:
- Color: Amber.
- Nose: Stony ethanol astringency at first. After some rest it opens up a little bit. Somewhat medicinal peat, not quite Laphroaig medicinal but definitely more than other peated expressions. Apple cider vinegar. Burnt caramel. Buttery cinnamon toast, maybe apple pie.
- Palate: Somewhat creamy mouthfeel. Cereal. More caramelized fruit, banana. Good helping of S’mores, vanilla, and sweetened ice tea.
- Finish: Long. More peat. Burnt toast. Salted caramel, oatmeal, salt water taffy, and pepper.
Lagavulin 9 Year Old is the best of the Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection for me. It’s a hair better than the Talisker Select Reserve, but the latter is better from a price to quality standpoint. This Lagavulin is balanced, complex enough, yet easy to drink – I really enjoyed it. It’s very close to the Lagavulin 8 Year Old, which I prefer by a tiny hair.
Jayson’s Rating: B (83–86%).