Lagavulin 16 and the Quest for Spiritual Enlightenment
Finding the path to nirvana might come in the shape of a bottle.
by Culture · Popular MechanicsI believe that the most spiritually aware and present version of myself exists when I am sipping a glass of Lagavulin 16 Year Single Malt Scotch. No one here understands how silly this sounds more than me. Allow me to start from the beginning.
Scotch whisky has been around for over 500 years or so, with the earliest mention of it taking place in 1494 in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland. For the following five centuries, poems, artwork, and songs have been made in its name. I get the sense that whisky as a whole is really the only liquor that gets this romantic treatment. As much as I love “Tequila” by The Champs, I don’t think it tugs at the same heartstrings as “The Humours of Whiskey”. In truth, I get downright emotional over Lagavulin’s rich flavor, robust peatiness, and excellent aroma. So much so that I got a bottle of Lagavulin tattooed on my arm (yes, while sober).
Lagavulin 16 Year Single Malt Scotch
The Flavor Profile
I am not a true whisky expert by any means, so I’ll describe it as best as I can with the limited language at my disposal. Upon first sniff, the smoky, oaky notes are readily apparent. Lagavulin achieves this by burning peat, a dense, partially decayed mix of mud and plant matter, while drying out the malted barley. It smells like the platonic ideal of a burning tire. It smells like the fireplace at a cabin in Vermont. It smells like your grandfather’s jacket.
The first sip has that peaty flavor for sure, but it’s mellower than you might think. It has a burn, though more of a glowing ember than a roaring flame. Lagavulin 16 in particular, which is aged for 16 years in oak casks, takes away the bite that the 8-year or even 12-year options have. It’s sweeter and more forgiving.
The Spiritual Journey
The ritual act of pouring a glass of whisky, sitting down somewhere quiet, and slowly breathing it in is meditative. The difference with Lagavulin 16 is where the whisky takes me once I’ve poured it.
With most whiskey, I’m able to sit and sip and think about, I don’t know, spouting off some half-baked observation like, “pretty smooth!”
But Lagavulin 16 just washes over me. I feel it trickle down my throat in a way that burns yet soothes. It stirs something in my soul that feels a step beyond this mortal plane. Maybe it just feels very old and human to sit down with a glass of whisky. That alone would make it sacred.
Tom Price
Reviews Editor
Tom Price is a reviews editor for Popular Mechanics while also contributing to Runner's World, Best Products, and Bicycling. Here at Popular Mechanics, Tom loves testing out home appliances, smart tech, gear for city life and outdoor adventures, small gadgets like watches and multitools, and anything else you can find piled up at his hoarder's nest of a desk.
Prior to working here, Tom attended NYU, graduating with a degree in English and a minor in creative writing. He also wrote for Best Reviews, The Daily Beast, and other publications covering tech, fitness gear, gadgets, and lifestyle products. Furthermore, he covered startup news, pop culture, and even professional wrestling. To follow more of his work, check back here for new stories.
Reviewed byRachel Klein
Deputy Editor
Rachel is the Deputy Editor of Reviews for Hearst's Enthusiast and Wellness Group where she supports Popular Mechanics, Runner's World, and Best Products. Her background is in service journalism and earlier in her career she worked as a daily newspaper reporter and book editor. She spent more than a decade as a staff editor and writer at TripAdvisor and Penguin Random House and her byline has appeared in Time Out New York, the New York Daily News, and New York Magazine. Outside of work, Rachel can be found planning her next trip, visiting museums and galleries, and walking her wirehaired dachshund in Central Park.