Lagavulin

As reliably excellent as ever, the 2011 Special Releases Lagavulin 12 year old was distilled in 1999 and vatted from refill American oak casks. As year oldu'd expect, this is a very upfront, sooty-sweet Lagavulin in the classic style.

Bottled in 2012, this 1996 edition of Lagavulin's Distillers Edition (probably the most sought after in the range) combines the regular rich, peat smoke that the distillery is known for with a finishing period in sweet Pedro Ximenez sherry casks for even more depth of flavour.

A rare independent release of Lagavulin, bottled in 2004 for The Syndicate, which seems from the back label to be a group of five guys, in Bruichladdich's bottling hall.

This 1995 vintage Lagavulin is finished in casks previously containing Pedro Ximenez sherry, and is the most popular of the 'Distillers Edition' expressions of the Classic Malts. A delicious layer of sherry sweetness smooths out the rough edges of the standard bottling.

Lagavulin is probably Diageo's most highly-rated distillery, with its muscular peaty presence and flashes of honey sending most of the cognoscenti into a swoon. This 15yo from 1993 is probably the most eagerly-awaited of the Managers' Choice series, particularly as it's one of only a handful of sherried single cask Lagavulins ever released.

The oldest-ever release from the distillery, this 37 year old was part of Diageo's 2013 Special Releases. A mix of European and American oak, it has depth and incredible intensity for such an old Islay whisky.