Lagavulin Feis ile 2019 19 Year Old (700ml, 53.8%)

The Lagavulin 19 Year Old for Fèis Ìle 2019 is often cited as one of the most balanced and sophisticated festival releases in the distillery’s modern history. While many festival bottles lean into experimental "flash" finishes, this 19-year-old is a masterclass in long-term maturation and careful cask selection.

Distilled in 2000, this expression was personally selected by Warehouseman Iain McArthur, a man whose name is synonymous with the Lagavulin legacy. It was matured for 19 years in Refill Sherry Oak Butts. This choice of "refill" wood is crucial—it allows the intense, medicinal Lagavulin peat to soften over nearly two decades without being overpowered by heavy sherry tannins.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Classic Lagavulin smoke, but exceptionally elegant. Aromas of dried seaweed, lapsang souchong tea, and old ropes are sweetened by manuka honey and dried dates. There’s an underlying note of antique furniture and polished oak.

• Palate: Deeply complex. The initial hit is sweet peat and salted caramel, followed by a savory wave of smoked ham and black pepper. Mid-palate, it opens up with fig jam and dark chocolate-covered ginger.

• Finish: Immense and oily. It lingers with a mix of sweet tobacco, campfire ash, and a drying coastal saltiness.

Why this bottle is special: This release is a tribute to Iain McArthur’s 50th year in the whisky industry. It is special not just for the liquid, but for the history it carries—Iain is the soul of the Lagavulin warehouses, and this was his "signature" selection. Unlike younger, punchier releases, the 19 years in refill sherry casks have created a "gentle giant" profile. It possesses all the peat you expect from Lagavulin, but with a level of integration and waxy fruitiness that only comes with significant age. It is a rare opportunity to taste a "pure" Lagavulin that has been allowed to mature slowly under the watchful eye of a master.