Lagavulin 12 year old The Ink of Legends (Diageo Special Releases 2023), 56.4%

Very pale and peaty, with lime zest, smoked lemon, green gooseberry, brine, and cooked agave aromas, the smoke and tequila cask notes are well-balanced, sharp, and invigorating. Lime, agave, caramel, and vanilla sweetness, with smoke on the back of the palate, cooked plum fruitiness, and a growing sense of minerality, green herbal notes, and zesty lime. Be generous with the water; this Lagavulin can take it. No. 3 in our Top 20 of 2024.