Every year Scotland’s Islay hosts a very unique festival – the annual Islay Jazz Festival presented by Jazz Scotland and Islay Arts Associations, which will feature Scottish and international musicians performing jazz for whisky fans on Islay. This year's festival will run from the 15th – 19th September 2023.

The iconic Lagavulin Distillery has regularly participated in this highly popular annual festival and has even organized concerts set against the atypical backdrop of the distillery’s malt mill, and this year is no different!

To celebrate this event, it is only befitting that the Islay giant bottles a commemorative Jazz Festival limited edition release for fans who make the annual pilgrimage. And so this year's Lagavulin Jazz 2023 has been revealed as a 15 Year Old single malt finished in Oloroso Sherry casks from González Byass - one of Spain's most well-known Sherry wineries - and bottled at 53.9% ABV.

Official tasting notes mention elegant, smooth dried fruit and walnut flavours. Judging from past experiences with heavily sherried Islay whiskies, we'll probably see a very enjoyable depth of character with rich sherried fruitiness complimented by the iconic smokiness of a classic Lagavulin.  

“The Islay Jazz Festival is always a very exciting time for everyone on the island. This year, to celebrate the festival, we’ve created a unique expression of Lagavulin that’s been influenced by the thriving Spanish jazz scene, finishing our whisky in Oloroso Sherry casks. The result is an exceptional bottling that introduces sweet, red-fruity notes, which are beautifully matched to Lagavulin’s signature smoke.” 

- Jordan Paisley, Distillery Manager at Lagavulin

For now, the Lagavulin Jazz Festival 2023 will be exclusively available at Lagavulin Distillery. The recommended retail price is £250 with an outturn of 3000 bottles. 

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team