What they say

Lagavulin Fèis Ìle 2021 – 13 Year Old

The Lagavulin bottling has been matured in refill American Oak casks and finished in high char Port-seasoned casks. The limited edition run of 6,000 bottles will be released with an ABV of 54.4%, and an RSP of £160 per 70cl. Available to purchase at Lagavulin Distillery and malts.com.

Pierrick Guilaume, Lagavulin Distillery Manager said, “Fèis Ìle is an incredible week for the island each year, allowing us to welcome whisky and music lovers around the globe to the island we’re so proud to call home. While our celebrations at Lagavulin Distillery are slightly different this year, we still have a fabulous line up planned who will treat online guests to some of Scotland’s best music and entertainment, as well as an incredible bottling which will excite fans of Lagavulin and the festival.”

Fèis Ìle Lagavulin 13 Year-Old is a glorious and unique bottling with a delightfully rewarding and unusual mix of richness, spice, and sweetness. This full bodied expression has fleeting sweet aromas of candied chestnuts somehow perfectly combined with oily mineral tones. The tones are intensified with a thick and oil-smooth texture. It is fleetingly sweet then piquant with spice that quickly rises in importance as rich waves of smoke, salt and hot pepper take over. Noticeably palate-drying, this superb Lagavulin has a long and intense finish with a pepper-spice warmth and delicious nutty and smoky aftertaste. Ideal to be savoured at natural strength or with a splash of water.

Official Tasting notes

APPEARANCE
Clear gold with green lights. Chablis. Good beading and long, slow legs.

BODY
Medium to full.

NOSE
Complex, unfurling in stages after light early prickle. A lightly green, faintly herbal top note. Soon, lush with scented fruit; as with sweet eating grapes, or a ripe fresh peach. Part of an alfresco picnic in a summer garden. Beneath this, a spicy woody note and faint notes of char from an extinguished bonfire. Water brings up a striking earthy yet floral note; there are newly planted geraniums in the garden. Later, more pungent, with typical hints of freshness and cleanliness.

PALATE
At natural strength, lively yet creamy-smooth in texture, intensely sweet to begin and balancing this with notes of pepper spice, a hint of salt and more rich fruit, to develop a racy and embracing warmth. Easy to enjoy straight. A dash of water softens the spice but keeps the smooth texture, rich sweetness and vibrant intensity.

FINISH
Quite long, still intensely tangy and drying, with that spicy warmth growing gently to leave a lovely, finally smoky aftertaste. Similar with water.

What I say

Lagavulin’s Feis Ile 2021 Festival bottling has been matured for 13 years and features a finish in high-char Port seasoned casks.

• ABV 54.4%
• Age 13 Years Old
• Bottler Official
• Bottling Feis Ile 2021
• Cask Charred Port
• Category Single Malt Whisky
• Cost £160
• Origin Lagavulin Distillery
• Outturn 6000 bottles
• Region Islay
• Released 2021
• Vintage Undeclared

My tasting notes:

• Appearance Rose gold (7/20), medium tears and long, fine legs.
• Nose Sweet and mineralic, soft peat smoke, gun oil, nutty roasted and candied chestnuts, linseed oil, peanut brittle, toffee, touch vinous, sea salt, later some fresher floral notes emerge.
• Taste Full bodied, zesty, orange oil, five-spice powder, oily peat smoke, nutty, roasted chestnuts, linseed/putty, reduced plum sauce, peppery.
• Finish Medium-long, peppery oak wood, nutty and smokey.
• Overall Soft and subtle, this drinks like a classic Lagavulin (e.g. 16yo) with just a hint of some extra cask char and vinous nature. Perhaps the natural sweetness/sherry influence in standard Lagavulin makes it hard to see what the port-seasoned cask has introduced that is different?

Score 87/100

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