Single Malt 19th Special Release 12YO Bottled
⏳ Drinking Window & Cellar Guidance
As a distilled spirit bottled at cask strength, this whisky does not mature further in glass and is ready to drink upon release, remaining in peak condition indefinitely when kept sealed and stored upright.
🍽️ Culinary Pairings
Oysters on the half shell, mature Stilton blue cheese, high-quality dark chocolate.
✨ Technical Specifications
The 2019 bottling of Lagavulin's 12 Year Old represents the 19th entry in Diageo's highly anticipated annual Special Releases. Unlike the flagship 16 Year Old, which is known for its rich sherry-cask influence, this cask-strength expression is matured exclusively in refill American oak hogsheads. This minimalist wood treatment allows the raw, untamed character of Lagavulin's spirit to shine through. The slow distillation in pear-shaped stills on the edge of Lagavulin Bay yields a spirit steeped in maritime folklore, evoking the rugged Islay coastline. It delivers an intense profile of sharp peat smoke, sea salt, lemon zest, and a surprising underlying sweetness. Historically, Lagavulin's site was once a hotbed of illicit distilling in the 18th century before being legally established in 1816, and this cask-strength release captures that rebellious, fiery ancestral spirit.
🍾 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.