It’s almost that time again – Fèis Ìle is just a few weeks away and we have an exclusive festival release with only 580 bottles available, almost ready to leave our warehouses and head to selected retailers. Distilled in 2009, this release has been 15 years in the making. Who better to tell you about the process of creating this special bottling than our Operations Director Graeme Mackeddie. Take a look below to read this ode to Mac-Talla Fèis Ìle 2024 Limited Edition.

In 2019 during routine sampling of casks in our warehousing at Aberargie, we identified a small parcel of 2009 bourbon barrels of Islay single malt that showed potential to be something quite special. At the time, the whisky was ten years old, resting in refill bourbon barrels – its particularly fruity notes, and soft peat belied its age. A notable whisky, which piqued our interest at the time.

Some weeks passed, and the opportunity to acquire a parcel of Caribbean rum casks through family business ties presented itself.  As a self-confessed lover of rum, and in particular maturation and finishing of Scotch Whisky in rum casks – it didn’t take long to formulate a plan. That plan? To introduce Islay single malt of notably fruit-forward character, to some fresh, vibrant rum casks – with the ambition to put a specific emphasis on those fruit notes, and nurture the whisky into something quite special.

On the 6th of September 2019, a rotation of twelve fresh rum casks were filled with the 2009 Islay spirit, and laid down in rack 57A, one of the highest and warmest spots in Warehouse No.1.

Over the months and years I visited the casks regularly, eager to see how they were developing. Our patience was duly rewarded – and in time the whisky came on as we’d hoped. The fruitiness of the bold Caribbean rum started to shine through. At the same time, lingering, chewy vanilla notes developed along with some subtle spice – these notes complimented the tropical fruit notes beautifully.

Unlike many casks in use in the rum industry and then in subsequent use within the whisky industry, this particular parcel of rum casks started life in the rum industry as virgin American oak barrels, and saw only one use before setting sail to us. The results are rum casks that are both active in terms of the influence its previous contents has, but also the influence of its wood. The active American oak generates flavours and aromas of vanilla, coconut, brown sugar along with some subtle cinnamon and cloves. The cask’s former contents of rum combined with the fruit forward Islay whisky offer a generous cacophony of tropical fruit notes, with pineapple and papaya particularly prevalent.

When I was set the challenge of finding something special to bottle for Fèis Ìle 2024, I knew exactly what I’d like to bottle. From the twelve casks, I’ve hand-selected two casks to bring together, that showcase the tropical fruit character of these 2009 rum casks perfectly.

COMING SOON…

Available from selected retailers and at our Mac-Talla Fèis Ìle events and Islay Whisky Shop from the 16th May. Make sure you keep up to date by following us on social media.