Lagavulin Jazz Festival 2015 Single Malt Scotch Whisky – 70cl 55.4%

Released annually to coincide with Lagavulins sponsorship of the Islay Jazz Festival, this particular release had production issues and didn’t appear until long after the Festival had finished. This no-age-statement Lagavulin single malt was bottled at a natural cask strength 55.4% ABV and released especially in celebration of the Islay Jazz Festival 2015. A blend of well matured Lagavulin malts from refill American oak and European oak Bodega casks, this is one of just 3,500 bottling’s that was awarded a highly impressive 91 points on the critic site WhiskyFun. Nose: a nicely fatty nose, punchy like the 12 Year Old but slightly rounder, more honeyed and toffeed. Lime juice. Some seaweed, oysters and iodine but less smoke than the regular 16yo. Palate: same feeling of punchy peat and crystal-clean lemons, but also toffee sweetness and vanilla cream to round off the edges. Great balance. Berries in the background with dried fruits. Sharper, kippery hints as well. Leathery notes, a spicy oakiness and some malty mocha towards the end. Finish: long, tarry but also elegant and a bit more smoky now.