Single Malt Distillers Edition Double Matured (((Bottled 2002)))
⏳ Drinking Window
As a distilled spirit, this bottle does not mature further in glass and is ready to enjoy immediately. It will remain in peak condition indefinitely if stored upright, sealed, and away from direct sunlight and heat.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
blue cheese, dark chocolate, smoked wild salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
Lagavulin's Distillers Edition is a masterclass in wood finishing, representing a harmonious marriage of intense Islay peat and luscious Spanish sweetness. Originally distilled in the mid-1980s and matured in traditional oak casks, this legendary single malt underwent a secondary maturation in specially selected Pedro Ximénez sherry casks before being bottled in 2002. The PX cask finish beautifully tempers the fierce, medicinal peat smoke and maritime brine of Lagavulin Bay with rich, velvety notes of dark chocolate, sun-dried raisins, and sticky dates. This expression is highly prized by collectors, showcasing how the rugged, wind-swept terroir of Islay's southern coast can be elegantly enhanced by the sun-drenched sweetness of Andalusian sherry wood.
🍾 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.