Pure Single Malt White Horse 12YO
⏳ Drinking Window
As a distilled spirit, this historic bottling is fully matured and will remain in peak condition indefinitely if kept sealed and stored away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Oysters on the half shell, mature blue cheese, smoked wild salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
The Lagavulin 12 Year Old 'White Horse' bottling is a legendary chapter in Scotch whisky history, dating back to the era when the distillery was operated under White Horse Distillers. This highly coveted expression represents an old-school style of Islay distillation, characterized by exceptionally slow runs in pear-shaped stills and maturation in traditional dunnage warehouses right on the shores of Lagavulin Bay. Unlike modern releases, these vintage bottlings from the late 20th century are celebrated for their unique fusion of intense, oily peat smoke, maritime brine, and an unexpected, luscious layer of tropical fruits and beeswax, making it a holy grail for spirits historians and collectors alike.
🍾 About the Producer
Perched on the rugged southern coastline of Islay, Lagavulin was officially established in 1816 by John Johnston, formalising centuries of illicit distilling along the sheltered cove beneath Dunyvaig Castle. Operating within an unforgiving maritime microclimate, the distillery draws peaty, mineral-rich process water from the upland Solum Lochs. Production relies on heavily peated barley and exceptionally deliberate methods: lengthy fermentations in larch washbacks precede distillation across four distinctive pear-shaped pot stills. Lagavulin famously executes one of the slowest double distillations in Scotland with wide middle cuts and high fill levels, maximizing copper interaction to sculpt a rich, oily spirit imbued with phenolic depth, smoked lapsang souchong, and iodine. Matured extensively in dunnage warehouses washed by sea spray, the resulting single malt balances pungent maritime brine and sweet oak tannins. Benchmark expressions include the iconic 16 Year Old, the cask-strength 12 Year Old annual releases, and sought-after mature parcels within Diageo's Prima & Ultima collection.