Review #889 - Lagavulin 1995 Distillers Edition (2013)
Several of the Diageo malt distilleries in Scotland, at least those that have core range single malt releases, have released 'Distillers Editions' over the years. These used to carry distillation vintage statements, and they generally involve an additional maturation on top of the usual cask regimen used in a given distillery's core releases. Previously, we've looked at modern examples from Oban, Talisker, Dalwhinnie, and even another Lagavulin DE release; now, we have an older version from Lagavulin.
Like the current version of this release, this older edition has an extra finishing period in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks over the standard Lagavulin 16 Year. There's already some sherry influence in the base whisky (it's a combination of ex-bourbon and European oak sherry casks, likely Oloroso), so we're expecting an even heavier red fruit flavor influence in the bottle.
While the Lagavulin Distiller's edition is typically aged for 16 years, this unique edition (bottle code lgv.4/501) distilled in 1995 was bottled in 2013, so we know it's at least 17 years old, potentially even 18 years old. After that extended maturation, this was reduced to the typical 43% ABV that we get from most Diageo releases, and a total of 3,000 bottles were produced.
Lagavulin 1995 Distillers Edition (2013)
Scotland/Islay - Single Malt
Price: USD 250 (2026, based on recent auction prices)
Age Statement: 17 Years
Strength: 43% ABV
Cask Makeup: Finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks
Details: Distilled 1995, bottled 2013; 3,000 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 2 times (once blind) over 6 months from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Peaty with accents of wood smoke and charcoal - a little bit savory. Soon fruits of orange, cranberry, raspberry jam, and dark plum arrive; softer earthy notes in the background combine with black pepper, effervescent fragrant perfume, and barbecued meats.
Palate: The mouthfeel is medium-thin; it's a softer experience, a bit mellow but with good depth. The peat has a medium influence and it's quite sharp, and we get charred wood, astringent ash, and orange oil as well. Grilled bell peppers combine with sour prunes, tart blackberry, blackcurrant, and some wood smoke. Later, more spice comes out - cinnamon, licorice, allspice, and then a touch of perfume.
Finish: Wood smoke, sharp peat which begins to soften, then a bit of peppery spice and tannins. Oranges combine with vanilla and perfume; it's quite delicate, and begins to fall off a bit. It's a medium length finish.
Final Note: This is a very pretty single malt from Lagavulin, especially on the nose, but we found that the texture and flavor density on the palate was quite lacking due to the low strength. Tons of potential, and quite a bit of complexity too with that elevated age, but it's all a bit muted and tame.
We also found that the palate and finish leaned quite dry and tart, despite the heavy influence from fruit notes in the palate. It's a good single malt, but we would love to see how this would taste at a bottling strength of 50%+.
So, onto value - as this is an old bottling, the only way to get a bottle these days is generally to scour the auction sites. Prices are all over the place, but we found a few sales around the $250 mark; at that sort of price, we think value here is mediocre.
Our Rating: 7.1 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 4.45
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
