Lagavulin 12 Year Old Special Release 2025 - 70cl/56.5%

Matured in refill casks and Pedro Ximénez/Oloroso sherry butts, this 12-year-old pushes Lagavulin's peat with sweet sherry influence. Nosing delivers a bold phenolic profile with smouldering peat, wood ash, and hints of soap, evolving to sweet melon, chocolate, cocoa, and maritime smoke, accented by raisins, figs, dates, and a spicy nduja note. Coastal, earthy, and medicinal tones lean smoky amid sherry sweetness. The palate is velvety with waves of warm peat, orchard fruits, and beach minerality, blending sweet dried fruits, chocolate, and peppery heat for a rich, balanced texture. It features intense raisin and fig sweetness enhancing the savory smoke. The finish is long and complex, lingering with cocoa, peat, and subtle spice, fading to maritime echoes and warm embers. This expression harmonizes Lagavulin's iconic smoke with sherry depth for a warming, multifaceted dram.

Lagavulin Distillery, nestled on Islay's southern coast, was officially founded in 1816 by John Johnston and Archibald Campbell Brooks, though illicit distilling occurred on site as early as 1742. Situated between Ardbeg and Laphroaig, it drew from Loch Sholum for its heavily peated style. In 1837, Johnston unified two distilleries into one. Ownership passed to James Logan Mackie in 1867, whose nephew Peter Mackie expanded it in 1890, creating the famous White Horse blend. After a dispute with Laphroaig, Mackie built a replica distillery, Malt Mill, on site (closed 1962). Lagavulin joined DCL in 1927, now under Diageo. It survived economic downturns, including partial closures in the 1980s, and a 1970s rebuild. Known for slow distillation in pear-shaped stills, it produces intensely smoky whisky. The name derives from Gaelic "Laggan Mhouillin," meaning "hollow by the mill." Today, with 2.5 million liters capacity, it honors Islay's peating tradition while innovating. Its history embodies Islay's resilient spirit, from clandestine origins to global peated icon.