Single Malt 13th Special Release 12YO (((Bottled 2013)))
⏳ Drinking Window
As a cask-strength single malt Scotch whisky, this bottle will remain in peak condition indefinitely if stored upright, sealed, and away from direct sunlight. Once opened, it is best consumed within 1 to 3 years to preserve its complex aromatic profile.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
blue cheese, smoked salmon, dark chocolate
✨ Technical Specifications
The Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength is a legendary annual highlight of Diageo's Special Releases, with the 2013 bottling marking the 13th release in this highly coveted series. Unlike the flagship 16 Year Old, which is mellowed by longer aging and sherry cask influence, the 12 Year Old is matured exclusively in refill American oak casks. This minimalist wood treatment allows the raw, elemental power of Lagavulin's spirit to take center stage. Distilled slowly in the distillery's signature pear-shaped copper pot stills on the rocky shores of Islay, the whisky captures the intense peat smoke, coastal brine, and crisp citrus notes of its maritime home. Historically, Lagavulin's site has been a hub of distilling activity since at least 1742, originally operating as illicit stills before John Johnston established the licensed distillery in 1816. This 2013 release, bottled at a robust cask strength, stands as a pure, unadulterated expression of Islay's wild, peat-soaked heritage.
🍾 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.