Special Release 2023

Lagavulin's annual Special Release is a bold experiment: the classic 12-year-old Islay single malt, already smoky and maritime, finishes in used Don Julio Añejo tequila casks. The result is a whisky where two worlds collide — Lagavulin's peated, salty core against the exotic, agave-driven character of the tequila wood.

After initial maturation in American oak, the spirit takes on a second life in these unconventional casks. The pairing is immediate: vegetal smoke with unexpected layers of vanilla, burnt wood, and a green, spicy edge that echoes the tequila. The finish is unmistakably marked by the active wood — earth, charred timber, and a drying herbal grip.

On the nose: saline and peppery, with bright citrus and a distant honey note. The palate is full-bodied and intensely peaty, with that vegetal peat signature Lagavulin is known for, but lifted by the tequila cask's vanilla and agave undertones. The finish is long and dry, the smoke never overwhelmed but deepened by the wood's character.