Laphroaig and Lagavulin: One Mile of Distance but Worlds Apart

Perhaps it’s only a personal thing, but there is one strange phenomenon about those two Islay malts that I have encountered several times now: Whenever I taste them one after another, the second will always taste not as good as the first.

And this happens regardless of the order. Laphroaig first: Lagavulin won’t taste good. Lagavulin first: Laphroaig won’t taste good.

Both are excellent malts, and I if you pointed a gun at me, I would not be able to pick one as a favourite. But somehow they seem to be incompatible, at least for my personal taste. The in-your-face peat and medicinality of the Laphroaig and the fruity sherry character of the Lagavulin repel themselves like identical poles of two magnets.

The two distilleries are only one mile apart on the south coast of Islay. Both malts are heavily peated, and  yet it seems that they are like cat and dog.

Do you feel the same or is my experience utterly subjective?

Related posts:

1. Lagavulin 12 yo FOCM bottling 1995
2. Lagavulin 16 yo
3. Laphroaig Cairdeas – Feis Ile 2008
4. Bastard Malts 2/2 – Do You Really Want to Know?
5. Poll Results: Favourite Whisky Region