Wow, what a week (and a bit).

I am, of course, referring to the Fèis Ìle 2015 (Islay Festival) that took place until Saturday gone. We were all there – some of us for the first time – and a great time was had by all. Joe assures me that a review of our time will be forthcoming, but for now you can head over to the FB page and check out some great images.

In celebration of the Fèis, we decided before we even left for the island, that we would put on a series purely focussing on the fabled Islay Festival bottlings. Read more below. We are also bringing our Whisky Festivals to Bristol and Edinburgh during June. Add to this Father’s Day, a bit of industry news and a stunning new competition and you should be sorted for the summer!

We have literally pillaged the island for 6 Festival bottlings in order to bring you a tasting par-excellence. For those of you not familiar with the concept, every year during the Festival, each distillery on the island releases a bottling especially and exclusively (normally) for the people who make the pilgrimage. These bottles are highly sought-after and are to be found in auction for often double or more there original price days after they go on sale. Well we would rather spread the whisky love than see more of these bottles go into collections. Just take a look at what we have for this unique series…

Caol Ila 1998-2015, selected by distillery manager, David Wood

Lagavulin 1991-2015, selected by the legendary Ian McArthur

Kilchoman, 10th Anniversary Bottling

Ardbeg, Perpetuum – Distillery Release

Laphroaig, Cairdeas 2015

SMWS, 3.243 (Their 1st Feis bottling, from a distillery starting with ‘B’ and ending in ‘e’)

All of these are bottled at natural strength and most are already sold out. Due to the cost of these bottlings being far more than for our ‘regular’ tastings, the price of these tastings is £35 per person, but this is potentially a once in a lifetime chance to try these whiskies together.

FEIS ILE TASTINGS DATES & VENUES

TUES.    16th JUNE       SHEFFIELD, The Tap, Sheffield Station, 7pm

WEDS.   17th JUNE       LONDON, Salt Bar, Seymour St., W2, 7pm

THURS. 18th JUNE       LEEDS, The Cross Keys, Water Lane, LS2, 7pm

WEDS.   24th JUNE       LIVERPOOL, Jenny’s Bar, Fenwick St., L2, 7pm

THURS. 25th JUNE       BRIGHTON, Lord Nelson, Trafalgar St., 7pm

FRI.        26th JUNE       NEWCASTLE, Blackfriars, Friar St., NE1, 7pm

FRI.        26th JUNE       MANCHESTER, Britons Protection, Gt. Bridgwater St, 7pm

SAT.       27th JUNE       YORK, Brigantes, Micklegate, YO1, 7pm

Click on the relevant date and venue to you or, if you can’t make it, you can buy a tasting pack instead by clicking HERE or going to the website.

THE EDINBURGH WHISKY SOLSTICE

Unbelievably we still have a few tickets left for this, one of our most exciting events of the year.

In the incredible surroundings of the normally private, Queen Street Gardens, you will get to sample fine whiskies from some of the best in the business.

In partnership with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society we are putting something truly awesome together, with crazy food pairings, masterclasses from the likes of Charlie Maclean and a Fèis Ìle 2015 class – all (hopefully) while we enjoy the Solstice sunshine. Going to be great!

Tickets are £30 and include a commemorative Glencairn glass, all of your drams (excepting under the counter drams), a small bottle of water and festival guide. The main event takes place from 12pm-5pm. Click HERE or on the banner for tickets.

We also have the Solstice Sundown, starting at 7pm, with 2 free drams, live music, a reasonably priced bar and more craic than you can shake a stick at. Tickets are £20 and available HERE.

THE BRISTOL WHISKY FESTIVAL

The fun’s not just up north you know! We are really looking forward to seeing our friends in the South-West and bringing some whisky festival hijinks to the fine city of Bristol.

The mechanic is easy. Turn up after 12pm, collect your free tasting glass from reception, along with a bottle of water and festival guide and then enjoy the offerings from our excellent exhibitors. The event finishes at 5pm (last pour at 4.45pm)

Once again, there are just a few tickets left for this event that should easily prove to be the whisky event of the year in the area.

The price for such a great afternoon is just £30 and tickets can be bought by clicking HERE or on the banner.

AUTUMN FESTIVALS

I know it doesn’t bear thinking about with the weather threatening to warm up, but it would be remiss of us not to remind you of our autumn program. Tickets are on sale now for all of the above events and given their popularity, it might be an idea to get them while they are still available…

Liverpool Whisky Festival, Saturday 5th September, Met. Cathedral, 12pm-5pm

Yorkshire Whisky Festival, Saturday 12th September, York Racecourse, 12pm-5pm

Manchester Whisky Festival, Saturday 24th October, Town Hall, 11am-3pm, 4pm-8pm

INDUSTRY NEWS From The Whisky Business A fairly news-light month, but here are the highlights… 1st June 2015 DOUGLAS LAING LAUNCHES LIMITED EDITION CASK STRENGTH BOTTLING OF SCALLYWAG 28th May 2015 SCOTCH WHISKY DISTILLERIES NOW ATTRACTING OVER 1.5 MILLION VISITORS 26th May 2015 MULTIMILLION POUND WHISKY DISTILLERY PLANNED FOR ISLE OF RAASAY 22nd May 2015 ARDBEG UNVEILS A DRINKABLE CLOUD THAT SUMMONS THE SPIRIT OF ISLAY (sample the Ardbeg ‘Haar’ at all of our festivals this year) 21st May 2015 DIAGEO ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF ISLAY FESTIVAL BOTTLINGS 18th May 2015 BENROMACH LAUNCHES NEW FIFTEEN YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT EXPRESSION and lastly, if you hadn’t already heard… 23rd April 2015 BRUICHLADDICH MASTER DISTILLER JIM MCEWAN ANNOUNCES HIS RETIREMENT Jim was a major factor in Eddie’s formative whisky years and therefore I’m sure we can all raise a glass to Jim and a well-deserved retirement. Sláinte Jim! That’s all for now folks, but enjoy the weather, enjoy some drams and we hope to see you at a TWL event soon.

Sláinte,

Eddie, Amanda and Joe

The Whisky Lounge Team.