Single Malt 17th Special Release 12YO Bottled
⏳ Drinking Window & Cellar Guidance
As a high-strength single malt whisky, this bottle does not improve with age once packaged, but it will remain in pristine condition indefinitely when stored upright and away from direct sunlight.
🍽️ Culinary Pairings
blue cheese, smoked oysters, dark chocolate
✨ Technical Specifications
The Lagavulin 12 Year Old Special Release, bottled in 2017, represents the 17th installment of this highly anticipated annual cask-strength bottling from Diageo. Unlike the flagship 16 Year Old, which is known for its rich sherry-cask influence, the 12 Year Old Special Release is matured exclusively in refill American oak casks. This choice of wood allows the raw, powerful, and pristine character of Lagavulin's spirit to shine through. It delivers an intense sensory journey characterized by sharp peat smoke, coastal sea spray, lemon oil, and a distinct medicinal brine. The history of Lagavulin is deeply intertwined with the rugged southern coast of Islay, where the slow distillation in pear-shaped stills captures the essence of the wind-swept peat bogs and crashing Atlantic waves. This expression is celebrated by connoisseurs as a pure, unadulterated snapshot of the distillery's smoky soul.
🍾 About the Producer
Officially established in 1816 by John Johnston, Lagavulin is situated on the windswept southern coast of the Isle of Islay, Scotland, overlooking the dramatic ruins of Dunyvaig Castle. Today owned by Diageo, the historic distillery is celebrated for its uncompromising dedication to traditional methods, utilising heavily peated malt and remarkably slow distillation in distinctive pear-shaped pot stills. This meticulous process yields an intensely rich, oily, and complex spirit that embodies the quintessential maritime character of southern Islay. Renowned for balancing ferocious peat smoke, brine, and medicinal notes with deep dried-fruit sweetness, Lagavulin achieves its definitive expression in its legendary 16 Year Old single malt.