Lagavulin Releases Rare 2023 Jazz Festival Whisky
Every September, tourists storm Islay for the annual Islay Jazz Festival. It’s likely the last temperate time to visit the large Scottish island (aka "the Queen of the Hebrides") as rain and cooler temps roll through come October. Celebrating these last few weeks of brightness, amidst great music and world-famous Scotch whisky to match, Lagavulin annually rolls out its famous Jazz Festival Whisky.
By Islay Jazz Festival standards, 2023 was an extra special year as it marked the event's 25th anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, Lagavulin launched an outstanding 15-year-old bottling.
“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," says Jordan Paisley, distillery manager at Lagavulin. "The result is an exceptional bottling that introduces sweet red fruit notes, which are beautifully matched to Lagavulin’s signature smoke.“
This timely, limited-release Scotch really does sound like the stuff of music. It delivers elegant dried fruit and walnut flavors, followed by depth and complexity from the distillery’s signature intense smoke. The rich fruitiness created by the sherry casks adds a twist on the classic flavors, creating something totally unique within the brand’s canon.
Sadly, those of us who didn’t make it over to Islay for the jazz festival in September, will now have a tough commute to score this bottle. The Lagavulin Jazz Festival 2023 15 Year Old is exclusively available at the Lagavulin distillery on Islay and only 3,000 bottles are available to the public, while supplies last.
In glass-half-full terms, this means you have a delicious excuse to head to the Hebrides to snag a bottle of this rare, premium Scotch—perfect for sipping in that late October coastal Scotland weather.
Bottled at 53.9 percent ABV, Lagavulin Jazz Festival 2023 15-YearOld exclusive bottling is priced at $305 per 750 ml.
[$305; malts.com]