Part of Diageo's Special Releases for 2024, Spirited Xchange Second Edition, a collection said to be an exploration of the uncharted territories of taste, produced under the guidance of master blender Dr Stuart Morrison. Fireside Tales is a single malt from the Lagavulin distillery on Islay, matured for 12 years in a combination of first-fill ex-bourbon barrels, refill American oak hogsheads, and refill European oak butts. Bottled at a natural cask strength of 57.4%. (Bottle size 750ml)
Nose: Aromas of a smouldering bonfire on a distant beach and wood ash. These are backed by subtle fruity notes, some sweet, suggesting rowan jelly, others hinting at unripe redcurrants. This is smokier with a drop of water, but still not heavily “smoky”.
Palate: Smoothly creamy and really mouth-filling in texture, very sweet to taste at first then quickly drying, with a sprinkling of salt and a controlled smokiness, the intensity lip-tingling. A drop of water brings out the sweetness more but otherwise changes little.
Finish: Long, finally powerfully smoky and drying, with a twist of warming spice that also lingers in the aftertaste. A classic Lagavulin.
