Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival 2015

 

 

 

55,4°

Distillery : Lagavulin - Islay 

Refill American and European Bodega Sherry Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2015

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 35 ppm

 

 

 

Since 2011, Lagavulin has released a specific bottling at each Islay Jazz Festival, they even released two last year. In 2015, they produced this ageless whisky too late, it was bottled in October while the Festival takes place in September, so it was mainly sold at Feis Ile 2016. This is a blend of 12-year-old juice aged in Refill American Casks, and 18-year-old juice aged in Spanish barrels. At least that's what the rumor says. The whole thing was sold in 3500 copies.

 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Clear, liquid honey. Mineral peat iridescent with iodine. Mostly Bourbon profile on the nose. Juicy white plums. Thick but mastered smoke. Wood wax, pomade, some seaweed, shellfish and oysters. Mellow. Banana, papaya. Candied lemon. On the palate, the exotic fruits are confirmed, with plenty of spices, cumin, black pepper, nutmeg and cloves. Sweet, honeyed notes, mirabelle plum jam, lard, grilled bacon. Meaty too, in fact. Long, languorous finish, between exotic fruits and plums, sparkling, slightly sandy. Lychees. Nuts.

 

In Short, 

It's very similar to 12 year old, but rounder, smoother and more balanced. Less peat and smoke too. I really liked this nuance of exotic fruits and candied lemon, but overall it's a bit too sweet for my taste. At the time, it was sold for a ihgh but reasonable price at the distillery itself, but now that it's been long sold out, the prices are excessive and it's not really worth it.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           The Ocean - Parabiosis