Blue in Munich
Crocked Professional Yeti Impersonator
Cool. Thank you. I've been a lover of Islay malts since I stayed there in my early 20s. Until a few months ago I had half a dozen bottles on the go. Now the cupboard is bare and they are all a lot more £££ than they were 10 years ago. You used to even occasionally see Lagavulin 16yo on offer in the supermarket for under £30. Now it's £75.
Smokehead looks like a bargain at £25.
It is.
Waitrose currently have Laphroaig Select on offer at £25. I'd describe it as marginally smoother & less peaty than the standard 10yo Laphroaig, and a very nice Islay whisky.
https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/produ...ingle-malt-scotch-whisky/755908-381392-381393
Waitrose also have Talisker Skye at £25 (from £42, bit polite for me, prefer Storm or Dark Storm) and Jura Journey at £23 (normally £35), Jura Rum Cask Finish at £28 (from £38) and Highland Park Viking Scars at £27 (from £35) if you fancy some different island offerings.
Lagavulin is shown as £76.50 at Waitrose Personally for that money I'd rather have 3 bottles of Laphroaig Select, an Ardbeg 10yo or An Oa & a Laphroaig Select, or an Ardbeg Uigeadial & change or an Ardbeg Corryvreckan at £80. I'd also avoid Ardbeg Wee Beastie like the plague, rough as for me. Lagavulin has never lived up to its hype for me. But as White Horse's chief distiller once said, there's no bad malts, just different ones.