Fèis Ìle is back for 2025, and the unmistakable rhythm of waves and festival music is once again setting the pace for Islay’s most anticipated week. As ever, the island’s famed single malt distilleries are stepping up with something special. This year, Lagavulin and Caol Ila are offering festival-goers a peek into the future of their peated icons—with unusual cask finishes that explore lesser-travelled flavour territory, without letting go of the smoke that put them on the map.

For anyone new to the scene, Fèis Ìle is more than just a whisky festival—it’s a week-long island-wide celebration that mixes rare bottle releases, music, and community spirit, all hosted on a Hebridean island famous for its peat and personality. Each distillery on Islay gets its own dedicated day during the festival. It’s a chance for fans to visit the distilleries, meet the people behind the drams, and—of course—pick up special bottlings that often never leave the island.

Lagavulin’s contribution this year is the Lagavulin Fèis Ìle 2025 15 Year-Old. After maturing in traditional oak, it’s been finished in Moscatel de Málaga casks—a type of dessert wine cask from southern Spain known for rich, sticky sweetness. The result is said to be a balance of spice and honeyed notes, layered over Lagavulin’s signature peat smoke. Moscatel de Málaga casks aren’t a common choice for Islay malts, making this a particularly curious one for fans who like their smoke tempered with fruit and warmth!

This bottle is bottled at 55.7% ABV, with an RRSP of £240. There will be a total of 1,596 bottles.

"This rich and complex bottling offers aromas of salted toffee, and ripe berries, interwoven with maritime medicinal undertones. The palate is luxuriously smooth and creamy, harmonising flavours of sweetness, salt, spice, and smoke. It culminates in a long, drying finish with that lingering fragrant Lagavulin smoke and a captivating note of Sichuan pepper spice."

Caol Ila, on the other hand, is going in a different direction entirely. Their Caol Ila Fèis Ìle 2025 8 Year-Old has been matured in a mix of refill casks and PX/Oloroso-seasoned wood, before a final flourish in new Colombian Oak. That last bit is especially intriguing. The distillery says the wood brings out Caol Ila’s waxy texture and adds a richer, smoother, and subtly sweet edge. It’s a younger bottling, sure, but sounds like it’s designed to challenge expectations of what Caol Ila can be.

This bottle is bottled at 55.8% ABV, with an RRSP of £110. There will be a total of 1,476 bottles.

“This release is all about exploration, both for us who enjoy Caol Ila and all the new visitors to Islay during Fèis Ìle. The finish in Colombian Oak casks has brought a fascinating twist, enhancing Caol Ila’s natural richness with unexpected sweet and spicy layers. I can’t wait for all of our fans to experience it first-hand at my first Fèis Ìle as Caol Ila’s Distillery Manager.”

– Martin Gaughan, Caol Ila Distillery Manager

Both whiskies will be available to purchase at their respective distillery days during the festival: Lagavulin on 24th May and Caol Ila on 26th May, each on a first come, first served basis. If you’re planning to snag a bottle, consider setting your alarm a bit earlier than usual.

Distillery Events

Beyond the bottles, each distillery is also laying on a slate of immersive events.

Visitors will have the opportunity to experience unique, behind-the-scenes, and luxury events, as well as amazing music from local artists and an outstanding selection of food and drink, with Islay Oysters, Pizza Geeks, Buffalo Truck, Isle of Skye Ice Cream, and Copper Still Coffee.

At Lagavulin, guests can take part in “Beyond The Smoke,” a sensory deep-dive into the distillery’s legendary flavour profile. Hosted by Distillery Manager Jordan Paisley and Private Client Host Barry Nisbet, the tasting experience includes a rare dram of Lagavulin 17 Year-Old.

Throughout the day, fans will also be able to listen to an exceptional line-up of live music, including Rhuvaal, a vibrant folk band known for their high-energy performances, and Trail West, who bring a fresh twist to traditional Scottish music also local band Donnie McKinnon and Friends. 

Meanwhile, Caol Ila is hosting “Flavour & History,” an interactive whisky blending workshop led by Rory Slater and Jo McKerchar. Guests will get the chance to experiment with flavours and walk away with a 200ml custom blend—a proper souvenir for the hands-on whisky geek.

There would also be “Sound of Islay: Symphony of Flavour", a unique guided tasting pairing an eclectic selection of music with each dram, hosted by Global Brand Ambassador Ewan Gunn. 

Later that week, Caol Ila also plays host to the ‘Manager’s Evening’ on 28th May, a rare joint session featuring managers from Caol Ila, Lagavulin, Port Ellen and The Maltings. It’s a chance to ask the questions that usually get lost in the crowd, and to taste a selection of malts handpicked by the people who live and breathe the stuff.

For those looking to join the festivities, tickets are still available at malts.com. Whether you’re there for the smoky drams, the music, or just a bit of windswept island magic, Fèis Ìle 2025 looks set to be a week worth remembering.

Tickets for the experiences can be purchased here.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team