Lagavulin 16 year old (OB, 43%, 70cl) at Obervatory Hotel

It was a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon before the mid year holiday ends; Me, Susan and Will were marching down to the Observatory Hotel located near The Rock. It was a farewell High Tea for Kevin, our university friend who is going back to Hong Kong after the graduation. It is a delicate, boutique style like Hotel and so was its restaurant.

As I have promised Kevin, I drew out two Romeo Y Julieta No.2 from my pocket and handed one over to him. We have enjoyed the Cuban cigar while chatting about its history and flavours. I must say that puffing into the clear sky, smelling the aromas of burnt Cuban tobacco with a couple of good friends couldn’t have been anymore enjoyable. What I like about No.2 is that it doesn’t leave too much bitterness in mouth, but still gave me that fine crafted tobacco of Cuban.

The whisky I enjoyed in the Observatory Hotel bar (after smoking the cigar) offered by Kevin was Lagavulin 16 year old. I must say that there were a trace of tobacco remained in my mouth but I have rinsed it enough to clear off as much flavours as possible.

Taste Note
Colour: Deep golden
Aromas: Peat, salty and medicinal embrace by creaminess, trace of sweet from sherry
Palate: Sweet at start; followed by peat and smokiness and finished with punch of saltiness, oily and chewy. Medium-bodied
Finish: Lingering of saltiness and peat, medium long finish, dry
Comment: A surprisingly smooth Islay dram, very easy to drink. Peat is not too heavy on its own and also well balanced.

Kevin and other friends were watching me mysteriously trying to figure out what I was doing while I took photos of the drink and dropping notes down on the tissue paper borrowed from the waitress. I have tasted Lagavulin 16 year old before but have never surprised me as much as today. Was it because of the cigar I just had before the dram? Or was it due to the mythical flavours induced to "this glass" by the farewell emotions to our beloved friend who is about to leave us?