WHISKY brand Lagavulin is marking 25 years of the Islay Jazz Festival with the launch of a special bottling, inspired by the “thriving Spanish jazz scene”.
The Islay brand is releasing 3,000 bottles of the Lagavulin Jazz 2023 15-year-old, which will be only available at the distillery, with a recommended retail price of £250 per bottle. This year’s festival, presented by Jazz Scotland and the Islay Arts Association, will run from September 15 to 17.
Jordan Paisley, distillery manager at Lagavulin, said: “The Islay Jazz Festival is always a very exciting time for everyone on the island. 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.
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"The result is an exceptional bottling that introduces sweet, red-fruity notes, which are beautifully matched to Lagavulin’s signature smoke.”
Lagavulin, which is owned by Scotch whisky giant Diageo, said the 15-year-old malt “carries elegant, smooth dried fruit and walnut flavours”. It notes: “New depth of character and complexity comes to life as Lagavulin’s intense smoke meets the rich fruitiness from the sherry casks, delivering a twist on the classically smoky flavours of the iconic Islay distillery.”
The forthcoming jazz festival will feature performances by a raft of Scottish and international musicians, including by Graeme Stephen, known for his array of styles from improvised jazz to Scottish folk, and Michelle Willis, the New York singer, songwriter, and keyboardist.
Islay favourite Mario Caribe, Mercury-nominated Fergus McCreadie, and the internationally claimed saxophonist Tommy Smith will also perform, while festival regular Fraser Ffield will present his new project, The Secret Path featuring Tom Bancroft and Paul Harrison.
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