Lagavulin has unveiled two limited-edition bottlings for fans in honour of the annual Islay Jazz Festival

For the first time in festival history, Lagavulin fans can celebrate with the launch of two limited-edition Jazz Festival bottlings.  

Jordan Paisley, Distillery Manager at Lagavulin, says: ‘The Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival has become a key moment in the calendar ever since it began 24 years ago, and we’re all excited to welcome visitors back to Islay for the festival once again. Crafted to celebrate together with our fans in Islay,  the 14 Year Old Distillery exclusive is surprisingly sweet, set to excite everyone. 

This year, we wanted reach all of our fans in a special way, even those unable to attend the festival. That’s why the team has also, for the first time ever, released the 7 Year Old Festival Bottling, an honest and pure expression of Lagavulin – chosen to carry a piece of the Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival to every fan’s home.’ 

Lagavulin Jazz Distillery Exclusive 

To welcome fans back to Islay and celebrate the Jazz Festival in person, Lagavulin is launching a limited-edition 14 Year Old cask strength single malt Scotch whisky. With fully illustrated packaging to highlight the musical sentiment of the Islay Festival, this unique bottling is exclusively available to purchase at the Lagavulin distillery from 8 October 2022.  

The Lagavulin Jazz Distillery Bottling 2022 has been matured in refill American oak casks and finished in brandy casks for five years, delivering an unexpected twist of sweetness. This complex smooth expression perfectly entwines the soft winery notes with the smoky, chilli pepper heat character, usually found in Lagavulin.  

Lagavulin Distillery Jazz 2022 will retail at £220 per 70cl, bottled at 55.4% ABV with 3000 bottles available.

Lagavulin Jazz Festival Exclusive 

For fans unable to attend the Jazz Festival on Islay, Lagavulin is releasing a unique 7 Year Old Festival Exclusive bottling, available for purchase online at malts.com. 

Matured in a combination of refill and ex-bourbon hogshead casks, the Lagavulin Jazz Festival bottling is a pure and honest expression of the Islay liquid. At natural strength, this whisky opens with sweet citrus and fruity yet salty notes, which are slowly overpowered by wood smoke and white pepper heat.  

Lagavulin Jazz Festival 2022 will retail at £95 per 70 cl, bottle at 59.5% ABV with 2,490 bottles available.  

About Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival  

The Festival, presented by Jazz Scotland and Islay Arts Association, will run from the 7-9 October 2022. The programme features some of the most exciting and creative Scottish musicians working in Scotland. From the Mercury nominated Fergus McCreadie to Islay favourites like Colin Steele, Mario Caribe and the Masterchef finalist Laura Macdonald. Appearing at the Festival for the first time, is acclaimed saxophonists Tim Garland and Helena Kay.  

The wide stylistic range of the Festival is demonstrated by the wonderfully inventive vocal interpreters of classic and modern standards, Georgia Cecile and kitti. The Tenement Jazz Band salute the early years of both jazz and blues, singer/guitarist Aki Remally salutes the legacy of Gil Scott Heron and Astro Snax present a heady brew of funk, hip-hop and soul colliding with jazz improvisation. The festival will also feature Brian Palmer, the Islay based drummer, who has played every year. 

A host of musicians make their Festival debut including saxophonist Matt Carmichael’s Quintet and, young musicians who are set to be the stars of the future: guitarist Nathan Somevi and saxophonist Rachel Duns. 

For those unable to attend the event on Islay, the Festival will be broadcasted live on Malts.com Facebook Page from 8PM BST on the 8th of October. Featuring performances from Georgia Cécile & Fraser Urquhart, Laura MacDonald, Kitti and the Matt Carmichael band, plus tastings of this year’s festival edition bottlings with Ewan Gunn! 

About Lagavulin

The remote, windswept island of Islay off the west coast of Scotland instills a certain strength of character in everything from the people who live there to the whiskies it produces. And it’s here, nestled in a small bay guarded by treacherous rocks and the knowing ruins of a medieval castle, that Lagavulin, one of the world’s most intense, smoky and rich single malt whiskies has been made since 1816. Named after a Gaelic word meaning ‘the hollow where the mill is’, this sheltered site boasted ten illicit stills, until in 1816 a local farmer founded one of the oldest official distilleries on the island. Fame arrived under the guidance of ‘Restless Peter’ Mackie, who believed ‘nothing is impossible’, and then went on to prove it by turning an unassuming distillery on a tiny Scottish island into a worldwide phenomenon.  

For many Lagavulin has become the definitive Islay malt and a true taste of the island, with its elegant, smooth and smoky maritime flavours complemented by a delicious dried fruit sweetness. 

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JεB and Buchanan’s whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness. 

Diageo is a global company, and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO). For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives and ways to share best practice.  

Provided by Diageo