cascode
Lagavulin Distillers Edition 2022
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
May 29, 2025 (edited October 8, 2025)
Nose: Very fragrant with smoky tea, leather, beef bouillon and a slight creosote aroma, however there is a definite floral quality to the phenols with apple blossom, pears and red berries all clearly distinguishable. Reduction highlights the mild peat smoke and the floral fragrances equally. 85/100
Palate: The arrival is sweet, the PX sherry casks more evident than on the nose with apple, pear, vanilla and toffee apparent. Smoke grows in the development with a leafy, briny tobacco note emerging in tandem with light fruitcake and orange water. The texture has a pleasant weight that can take a little water, but a couple of drops is sufficient to open it up. 86/100
Finish: Medium/Long. Sweet initially and reminiscent of cough syrup. Stewed fruit, malt extract, and towards the end it veers towards briny dryness, which is very satisfying. 86/100
For 27 years, since 1995, this annual release of PX-finished Lagavulin 16 proudly displayed a vintage statement and release code, however this 2022 edition was the first to be issued as a non-vintage NAS. Does that mean it is no longer at least 16 years of age? Probably, which is a bit sad, but how does that affect the profile?
In my opinion not a great deal, as this edition seems to me very much like those from the previous decade and I think it has been slowly getting sweeter, fruitier and less phenolic over time. My knee-jerk reaction is to criticize the loss of age statement but I can’t help but think that this Lagavulin expression has been gradually developing a soft elegance that really suits the spirit.
Throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s Lagavulin 16 year old was one of my favourite whiskies, but for the last two decades I’ve detected a steady loss of phenols and character (many would disagree - but I think they are wrong 😉). In contrast, I was never a great fan of this Distillers Edition but I’m starting to like it more and more.
Maybe it’s the whisky changing, maybe me. Maybe both. Who knows? What I do know is that this is a fine whisky and one I would recommend.
Tasted at Lagavulin Distillery as part of a post-tour flight, 17th April, 2025
“Very Good” : 86/100 (4 stars)
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@cascode - great info, thanks! Now that I know they’re using the real McCoy, I’ll have to track down another bottle of their 25yo. Excellent buy! 🙂
@islay_emissary I remember that article on sherry use in whisky and it is an excellent overview. Glenfarclas sources their casks from José y Miguel Martin and their relationship with the bodega is widely known. The bodega’s winery is at Jerez de la Frontera but the cooperage is in the Huelva region, but they are cited on the official Consejo Regulador de las Denominaciones de Origen website https://www.sherry.wine/es and they definitely season with sherry triangle wine.
@cascode - Also, don’t forget this article I called your attention to a while back. https://www.whiskynotes.be/sherry-casks-in-the-whisky-industry.pdf The sherry industry’s primary use of solera production makes cask availability scarce. Single-cask vintage aging of oloroso sherry still does exist, apparently. Glenfarclas claims access to these casks from one such family-owned bodega, according to their website. However, since Glenfarclas doesn’t name the bodega, there’s no way to validate their claim.
Hi @cascode - yes, you are correct that a majority of Pedro Ximénez plantings are located in D.O. Montilla-Moriles, and I believe this is the source of PX wines used by Lagavulin to season their barrels. Not a bad thing, but not sherry. On the other hand, the industry leader, Macallan, goes to great lengths to ensure “sherry seasoned” casks for their whiskies. They season their casks in the sherry triangle region of Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, and have an exclusive relationship with the Tevasa cooperage. This partnership allows them to access highly restricted European oak, harvested in northern Spain. Macallan’s Sherry Oak Collection uses this wood and commands the highest prices. All of these niceties cost money and make a difference in marketing when trying to appeal to a high-end audience. I still like Lagavulin better, but each to his own.
@islay_emissary Non-use of the word “sherry” is a Diageo thing. If you look at any of their other Distillers Editions (Oban, Talisker, Caol Ila etc.), and in fact anything they produce, you will see they only ever use the name of the fortified wine. Eg amoroso cask, oloroso cask, fino cask etc. I have no idea why but it’s hard to believe they are not using casks from Jerez. A company as big as they are must have permanent contracts with several bodegas or brokers, still is is quirky when everyone else uses the “s” word. Also, PX grapes are grown more in the neighbouring region of Montilla-Moriles than in Jerez and there they are made into a wine called PX. There is a special dispensation that allows this wine to be shipped to bodegas in Jerez and made into sherry due to lack of local PX grapes. I suppose it is possible that Diageo might use PX wine casks rather than PX sherry casks, but it seems like a stretch. Yes, the last vintage statement Lagavulin DE was 14 or 15 instead of the usual 16 minimum. Lagavulin was your thesis topic? Seriously? 😮 What was the title and date of the dissertation, I’d love to read it!
@cascode - The word “sherry” has never been associated with any Lagavulin Distillers Edition release. Every release, with the exception of the last (2022), have all advertised “Pedro Ximenez cask-wood” for the 2nd maturation. This doesn’t necessarily make it bad, it just means the PX grapes were grown outside the legal region/triangle for sherry or maybe lack the aging necessary to call it sherry. The 2021 release was distilled in 2006 making it a 15/14 year old. And, the inaugural release was distilled in 1979 and bottled in 1997 making it an 18/17 year old. Don’t forget, I did my thesis on Lagavulin. 🙂