Single Malt Diageo Special Release 26YO (((Bottled 2021)))
⏳ Drinking Window
As a mature, cask-strength single malt, this bottle will remain in pristine condition indefinitely when stored upright away from direct light. Once opened, it is best enjoyed within 1 to 3 years.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
blue cheese, dark chocolate, smoked venison
✨ Technical Specifications
Released as part of Diageo's highly anticipated 2021 'Legends Untold' Special Releases, this extraordinary 26-year-old single malt represents a rare, ultra-aged expression from the legendary Lagavulin Distillery on the rugged south coast of Islay. Distilled in 1994 and matured exclusively in first-fill Pedro Xim nez and Oloroso sherry-seasoned casks, this expression showcases a magnificent marriage of Lagavulin's signature maritime peat smoke with deep, dark, dried-fruit sweetness. The distillery's famously slow distillation in pear-shaped stills allows the heavy oils and phenols to develop a rich, complex character, which over more than a quarter-century of coastal slumber has softened into a sophisticated tapestry of bonfire embers, salt spray, baked figs, and rich cacao.
🍾 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.