Diageo releases cask strength festival whiskies

Diageo’s Lagavulin and Caol Ila Scotch whisky distilleries have released two natural strength variants at this year’s whisky and music festival in Islay.

Just 1,500 bottles of 55% abv Caol Ila Feis Ile 2014 will be available to festival visitors

Visitors to the Fèis Ile Festival will have the opportunity to sample the special edition Caol Ila Feis Ile 2014, which was distilled in 2002 and bottled in 2014 having been aged in refill American oak.

Just 1,500 bottles of the 55% abv Scotch, described as having notes of vanilla, smoke and flowers, have been made available.

The Lagavulin limited edition, of which only 3,500 are available, was distilled in 1995 and bottled in 2014 at 54.7% abv having been aged in European Oak Sherry casks.

It is described as having hints of smoke and apples on the nose, and spice, marzipan and flowers on the palate.

“Once again we are pleased to be able to present two very appealing and exceptional whiskies from Lagavulin and Caol Ila,” said Georgie Crawford, distillery manager at Lagavulin.

Diageo also made 3,500 special edition bottles of Lagavulin available at the Feis Ile festival

“The Festival gets stronger and better every year, and all of us at Lagavulin and Caol Ila Distilleries hope that this year’s special Fèis bottlings, and those offered by other distilleries on this wonderful island, will add to the delight of those visitors who come to celebrate Islay’s great whiskies and whisky-making traditions with us during the Fèis.”

Both whiskies are priced at £99 per bottle. Sales are limited to two bottles per personal visitor.

Suntory’s Bunnahabhain has also unveiled two new special edition malts at the Fèis Ile festival: 17-year-old Bunnahabhain Westering Home and 10-year-old Bunnahabhain Dràm an Stiùreadair

The 2014 Islay Festival Fèis Ile will run from 23rd to 31st of May 2014.