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05.08.2025
Lagavulin Jazz Festival Whiskies: Limited Editions Guide
Lagavulin Jazz Festival Whiskies: Limited Editions Guide
Music and a good drink will be a good combination for many of you, I think.
A dram of your favorite whiskey accompanied by your favorite band or artist—what could be a better combination to de-stress after a hard day?
I love house music, and although it doesn't sound soothing, I love it, and it often has a soothing effect on me. Raise your hand if you don't listen to Adagio for Strings Tiesto and haven't dreamed of sitting on the hot sand on the beach and completely chilling! It's music that often transports us to different places and brings solace.
I've been a fan of Islay for a long time, and when you're looking for quality connections between music and whisky, Islay is spot on. From the Feis Ile, which was once a celebration of music and dance, to today, where there are literally festivals at every distillery.
But to the shores, specifically to the shores of Port Ellen, or more precisely, to the Lagavulin distillery.
Why there? Because Lagavulin is closely linked to music, specifically jazz!
Every fan of Lagavulin whisky must have tasted or heard about this limited-edition jazz festival.
The Lagavulin Jazz Festival takes place every September, offering a weekend-long adventure celebrating jazz for 26 years. This unique event, organized by Jazz Scotland and the Islay Arts Association, celebrates the best of Scottish jazz in unexpected, atmospheric venues such as distilleries, village halls, and churches. The island's rugged and tranquil beauty provides a stunning backdrop for three days of intimate concerts and captivating performances.
Highlights of the jazz festival include:
LAGAVULIN JAZZ FESTIVAL 2011. 700ML, 55.4%, Vintage 1993, bodega sherry
LAGAVULIN JAZZ FESTIVAL 2012 700ML, 54.5%, Vintage 1997, Refill sherry butt
Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival 2013 is a limited-edition Islay single malt from Lagavulin, bottled specially to celebrate the Islay Jazz Festival 2013. The whisky was distilled in January 1995 and matured in hand-selected sherry butts. It was bottled in 2013 at a natural cask strength of 51.9%. Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival 2013 is a powerful, smooth and refined dram with a harmonious balance of peat and sherry. One of 1500 bottles.
Lagavulin - Islay Jazz Festival 2017 (70cl @ 57.6% ABV)
This is the Islay Jazz Festival 2017 single malt Scotch whisky from Lagavulin. Matured in first fill American Oak barrels, refill American Oak hogsheads and bottled to celebrate the 2017 Islay Jazz Festival.
The 2017 Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival expression was matured in a combination of refill American oak hogsheads and first-fill American oak barrels. It’s described as a sweet and typically peaty expression, with ‘hints of almonds, brazil nuts, pears and smoked ham’.
This is a limited edition release of just 6000 individually numbered bottles. Bottle number 187 of 6000 57.6% abv.
The 21st Islay Jazz Festival took place from September 13th to 15th, 2019.
The Lagavulin Distillery was one of the event's hosts, hosting concerts by the renowned Canadian vocalist and trumpet virtuoso Bria Skonberg and Scottish trumpeter Colin Steele. Such a performance wouldn't be complete without a special, limited edition whisky – Lagavulin 21 Year Old- available exclusively at the distillery. It was aged in refill hogshead casks and re-charred hogshead casks (both American oak) and bottled at cask strength (50.9% abv). The edition consisted of 2,004 bottles. The festival is sponsored by the Islay Arts Association and Jazz Scotland.
Aroma: Smoky and delicately floral, sea breeze, peat smoke, lemon zest, mirabelle plum jam, a handful of fresh herbs, a touch of cinnamon and pepper, and traces of charred oak.
Pattern: Soft, peat smoke, apples, gooseberries, quince jelly, raspberries, a spoonful of beef broth, lemon pepper, hints of licorice and oak.
Finish: Fairly long, with notes of peat smoke, summer fruits, wildflowers, pepper, sea salt, and oak.
LAGAVULIN 22 JAHRE JAZZ FESTIVAL 2020
A distillery-exclusive Lagavulin bottling, released to commemorate the Islay Jazz Festival 2020. It was aged in refill American and European oak casks and filled into 2004 bottles at a cask strength of 52.6% ABV.
Lagavulin 2021 Jazz Festival Single Malt Scotch Whisky Ex- mezcal cask, 54,8 abv.
Lagavulin Jazz 2022
Released for the 2022 Annual Islay Jazz Festival this 14 Year Old is only available from the distillery. For 2022 the classic Lagavulin whisky has been matured first in American Oak Cask and then finished in brandy casks to give it a unique flavour. Each of the 3000 bottles is individually numbered.
This year was double please becouse was also released:
LAGAVULIN 7 YEAR OLD ISLAY JAZZ FESTIVAL 2022
This 7-year-old single malt bottled at 59.5% barrel strength, matured in refill and ex bourbon cask.
Nose: marine and full of fresh air straight from the sea shore, traces of iodine, the bourbon barrel gives sweet and fruity notes, the notes of smoke are subtle but you can feel them quite well.
Taste: well balanced, peat smoke mixes with sweet fruit accents, caramel cookies, pears, green apple, vanilla, cinnamon, orange peel, burnt wood, a bit of smoked meat.
The finish: is amazing, this combination of peat and sweetness is a perfect combination, earthy, iodine, sea climates, oak barrel with a pinch of pepper.
Lagavulin 2023 Jazz Festival Release 15 Year Old Whisky 53.9%
Lagavulin jazz festival 2023 is a distillate bottled in barrels in 2007, this 15-year-old single malt is a combination of American oak barrels and then poured into González Byass Oloroso sherry barrels for the last 2 years of its 15-year maturation.
Nose: Notes of salty sea air with a hint of sherry and strong woody notes. Peat smoke covers the entire glass but in the background you can still feel the sweetness and almost taste the dried fruit.
Flavor: Naturally strong, very soft, rich in texture. The flavor starts off sweet with nutty and fruity notes from the Oloroso barrels but quickly becomes peppery and smoky with fragrant wood smoke, dark chocolate, sweetness mixed with peat creating a unique combination.
Finish: Long, sweet-smoky and dry, fruity notes and spicy chili flavors with intertwining smoke, exploring the peat in an exciting finale.
Lagavulin 2024 Jazz Festival Release 14 Year Old Wine Cask 56.1%
This is the 2024 Lagavulin Jazz Festival Release.
This year the bottling is a 14 Year Old South African Cabernet Sauvignon Finish. Limited to just 1500 bottles.
About the author
Damian Baran
I am in love with the world of whisky since 2021 after the first films about testing and discovering flavors. the story began with a bottle of Talisker 10, earlier of course brands such as glendifich or johnie walker appeared but it was Talisker that opened my eyes to the diversity of flavors and scents. currently with over 800 whiskies tried and head over heels in love with the climates of islay. finds his flavors in bottles such as ardbeg or lagavulin but I also willingly reach for peated whiskies such as glendronach sweet fruity climates of Speyside.
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