Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival 2015

Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival 2015, NAS, 55,4 %

Today I tempt you with this special release from 2015. The Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival 2015 was matured in a mix of refill American an European oak bodega sherry casks. The release was limited to 3500.

I have previously reviewed the Lagavulin 1993 Islay Jazz Festival 2011. That was single cask release, but I guess with the phenomenal increase in popularity both for the festival itself, and these annual Lagavulin releases, they simply had to make the move to larger batches.

The Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival 2015 is still available to buy in odd spots online at around GBP 200 and up.

Nose: More restrained than expected from a cask strength Lagavulin. I have to put my nose deep into the glass to find the soft notes of smoked bacon, salt, caramel, and vanilla. Give it time - actually you really should give every single whisky enough time in the glass when doing a tasting - and that typically means a minimum of 30 minutes. It opens up, and the nose no longer has to dive deep. The sweetness gains more body, and the wood smoke arrives in full.

Taste: Full-bodied mouthfeel. Pepper, salt, sweet barbecue sauce, bacon and oak with a bitter-ish touch. Chili and chili chocolate!

Finish: Medium long finish. The oak is more dominant now, and the sweetness is toned down a fair bit. Peanut oil, roasted almonds, dark chocolate and ashes. And smoked bacon soaked in rich barbecue sauce!

Comments: Barbecue Jazz Festival on the Beach!

Score (89/100)

Image from Master of Malt.

Sláinte! - Thomas