Heads up peatheads! 

The countdown is on for Fèis Ìle 2024, the beloved whisky and music festival held on the stunning Scottish isle of Islay. This year, it would take place officially from 25-27 May, and promises another unforgettable celebration of Islay's rich culture and world-famous whiskies.

Two of the most iconic distilleries in Diageo's stable, are gearing up to welcome whisky enthusiasts from around the globe. There's Lagavulin with its famously smoky malts and there's Caol Ila known for its peaty, subtly sweet whiskies.

There's even the legendary reimagined Port Ellen Distillery which will be joining the Fèis Ìle lineup this year.  

Lagavulin Distillery Open House & Experiences: 25 May 2024

Lagavulin opens its doors on 25 May, promising a feast for the senses with music and whisky tastings.

Here are some examples of the ticketed experiences in store:

• Smoky Luxury on the Waves: Set sail from Lagavulin Pier and enjoy a luxurious experience featuring special drams with Diageo whisky specialist, Peter Milne, creator of this year's Fèis Lagavulin Limited Release Bottling 2024 and Joanne McKercher, Diageo archivist, for special drams. This would be paired with seafood, and untold stories of the distillery while you enjoy scenic views from Lagavulin Bay. Sounds like a real treat, doesn't it?

• The Manager's Big Challenge: Test your Lagavulin knowledge in this interactive experience filled with blind tastings and whisky production-themed games conducted by Distillery Manager, Jordan Paisley and Fèis favourite and Brand Ambassador, Colin Dunn, in 'smoky' Warehouse 3.
• Warehouse with the Coopers: Learn about cask-making and maturation with Lagavulin's coopers while sampling whiskies straight from the cask in Lagavulin's legendary Warehouse 1. See the experts in action as they demonstrate how to build the perfect cask, uncover maturation stories and best of all, how Lagavulin gets its signature smokiness.

Sign up for Lagavulin's experiences here. 

Caol Ila Distillery Open House & Experiences: 27 May 2024

Caol Ila invites you to immerse yourself in the distillery's coastal heritage with a lineup of ticketed events including:

• Meet the New Manager: Get to know Caol Ila's new distillery manager, Eva Cumming, and enjoy a tasting of 5 amazing drams, including the limited edition Fèis bottling 2024 and Eva’s choice of an outstanding sample drawn from a single cask.
• How Do You See The Sea: Explore the colors and textures of Islay's seascapes through art and create your own illustrations using charcoal and pastels, inspired by a curated selection of Caol Ila whiskies. This sounds like a lovely and creative way to appreciate the island's beauty!
• Flavour & History: Discover the secrets behind Caol Ila's signature smokiness, influence of distillery character and maturation on flavour, and create your very own unique Caol Ila whisky blend! This would be conducted by Peter Milne, who created the 2024 Fèis Limited Release Bottling 2024 and Diageo archivist Joanne McKerchar.

Sign up for Caol Ila's experiences here.

Port Ellen Distillery Open House & Experiences: 28 May 2024

And for a truly legendary edition to Fèis Ìle 2024, the iconic Port Ellen Distillery, a ghost distillery with a cult following, is rising from the ashes with a special Fèis Ìle experience on 28 May.

Details are still under wraps but ticket info is coming soon!

Festival Exclusive Bottlings from Lagavulin & Caol Ila

Of course, it would also be possible to grab limited-edition releases from Lagavulin and Caol Ila, created especially for Fèis Ìle. These exclusive bottlings will only be available for purchase at the distilleries during the festival.

Grab Your Tickets & Mark Your Calendars

Tickets for the above Fèis Ìle experiences go on sale on Malts.com to the public on Friday 15th March (UK time). 

But if you join Malts Club now (it's actually free), you'll get to purchase right now, so why not just sign up for it?

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team