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.  

“Fèis Ìle is the world’s biggest celebration of everything Islay and whisky, bringing together people from across the globe to enjoy experiences which simply cannot be replicated anywhere else.

The locations and views from the Caol Ila and Lagavulin distilleries are utterly magical; pair this with some of Scotland’s best music, food and drams, our visitors will have a weekend they will remember for a long time. While the festival is free to attend we are encouraging visitors to book their experience tickets now to guarantee a spot at the distillery tours and events.”

– Eleanor Gillies, Brand Home Manager Caol Ila and Lagavulin

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.

The headline act for Lagavulin Day is the seven-piece, award-winning Scottish group Mànran, which presents Scottish traditional music in distinctive, dynamic ways to captivate audiences on the dancefloor. Blending Celtic and contemporary influences is Rhuvaal, which is followed by traditional Islay band, Donnie McKinnon & Friends. 

Here are some highlights 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 music and Scottish fare. Caol Ila Day kicks off with music from the lively Highland folk band Elephant Sessions, as well as Rhuvaal and local Islay musicians Ciara, Shane & Simon.

Highlights of ticketed events include:

• 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!

Culinary Experience

Let's not forget the fine Scottish fare that would pair incredibly well with the elemental whiskies from these iconic Islay distilleries. Lagavulin and Caol Ila would be also bringing in Pie Hole which specialises in home-made Scottish pies, fresh briny Islay-sourced oysters from Oyster Shed and Neapolitan-style pizza from Edinburgh’s Pizza Geeks.

For those looking for a respite from whisky, artisan coffee maker Machina Coffee would be brewing up a range of coffees and hot drinks.

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