Exotic Lagavulin Mezcal to kick-off the Feis Ile week
Today is the kick-off to the most romantic, most heralded Whisky Festival of the world. The Festival of Malt and Music, better known as Feis Ile. It has been a while since I actually went to the festival (in 2016), and visiting the island itself has only been done again last January (2025). One could argue that you get a better and way more relaxed experience of Islay when you visit any other week than during Feis Ile, but hey… being there also has its perks!
Just take it from me, put it on your bucket list, and then make it a goal to strike it off one day.
Highlight of the year for me used to be the news announcements of what kind of special bottlings this or that distillery would be doing. In days long gone, the name “Feis Ile” on an Islay single malt bottle would mean something. And it would also be impossible to get one, unless you went there yourself, or knew someone kind enough. I have been blessed with both, and can therefor say that for instance I have most of the Feis Ile releases of Caol Ila. Always good expressions, always reasonably priced. You can probably see where this is going, eh? Prices. Let us not go down that rabbit hole, and focus on the bottle contents! Prices are going down anyway, just be patient. The secondary market is merciless.
The traditional kick-off falls upon Lagavulin and this year is no different. For the next week, we are going to cover each distillery with tasting notes. I recommend you also pour yourself an Islay dram, and join me. For the Lagavulin Day, I selected a whisky I chronicled already for the now on hiatus whisky blog Maltfascination, but wanted to revisit for Long Pour Amour. It is the Lagavulin that matured on Mezcal. Since I recently tasted the brand new Ardnamurchan Mezcal release, I thought it would be fun to put the two together in a head-to-head session.
Lagavulin 13 years old, Mezcal cask finish, bottled at 54,8 % abv
First things first: Bottled for that other festival on Islay: the Jazz Festival. A Lagavulin finished in ex-Mezcal casks, resulting in 3000 bottles. No information on the length of the finish.
Upon Sipping: Absolutely fierce and relentless, with a lot of meaty aroma rising from the glass. Much more powerful than the Ardnamurchan, and also better integrated. The agave is present in the Lagavulin Mezcal too, but seems much more enveloped by the strong peat character. This creates an extra that elevates the whole. Beautiful peat, lots of forest wood notes, some ozone and also not without a good dash of maritime elements. Still, the meat is strong, and I suddenly feel myself craving a good barbecue session in the garden.
The taste is quite medicinal with hints of sour peat, making this is truly classic Islay whisky. Who would have thought that the exotic Mezcal influence would enhance the Lagavulin experience as much as it does. With water, it all becomes even more suave. Taking a sip from the Ardnamurchan, we can conclude that the Mezcal in that expression is much more overpowering. I like both styles, but in the case of the Lagavulin, the whisky and the distillery character stays ahead of the finish, and that is always the preferable recipe, if you ask me.
Word to the Wise: Perfect Lagavulin, with the support of quality Mezcal casks. This is an exotic cask treatment I can live with. Probably one of the better later year releases by Lagavulin. Makes me forget there is a South African wine treated expression out there somewhere…
Score: 91 points.