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Scotsman
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Feis Ile 2025: Limited edition festival whiskies from Lagavulin, Jura, Bowmore and Ardbeg - prices and how to buy
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. From peaty whiskies such as Ardbeg and Caol Ila, to lighter drams from Bunnahanhain, Islay has something for all whisky tastes including the range of Fèis Ìle 2025 Festival bottlings Fèis Ìle is Islay's renowned whisky, culture and music festival, and runs this year from the 23 May until 31 May. Each of the nine Islay distilleries have their own festival day which can include tours, tastings and live music. Here we take a look at what festival bottlings are on offer and how you can snap up a bottle. Lagavulin This year, Lagavulin is inviting fans to discover new depths of flavour with Lagavulin Fèis Ìle 2025 15 Year-Old. Finished in Moscatel de Málaga casks, this expression showcases a masterful balance of sweet and spicy notes while retaining Lagavulin's distinctive smokiness. This rich and complex bottling offers aromas of salted toffee, and ripe berries, interwoven with maritime medicinal undertones. The palate is luxuriously smooth and creamy, harmonising flavours of sweetness, salt, spice, and smoke. It culminates in a long, drying finish with that lingering fragrant Lagavulin smoke and a captivating note of Sichuan pepper spice. Lagavulin Fèis Ìle 2025 15 Year-Old is bottled at 55.7% ABV, with an RRSP of £240, available to be purchased from the distillery and There will be a total of 1,596 bottles. Caol Ila In a bold new move, Caol Ila is introducing an exciting new dimension of flavour with Caol Ila Fèis Ìle 2025 8 Year-Old. This whisky has been matured in a unique combination of refill casks and Pedro Ximénez /Oloroso-seasoned casks, before being finished in new Colombian Oak casks. The result is a burst of bold yet harmonious flavours. As whisky expert Charles MacLean puts it, 'even at reduced strength, the taste is intense!'. T his release explores Caol Ila's waxy character, delivering an intensely smooth, oily texture and a richer, unexpectedly sweet profile emerging from the Colombian Oak cask finish. The whisky's complex smoke is amplified by layers of spice notes and peppery warmth. Caol Ila Fèis Ìle 2025 8 Year-Old is bottled at 55.8% ABV, with an RRSP of £110, available to be purchased from the distillery and There will be a total of 1,476 bottles. Laphroaig Laphroaig will welcome Friends of Laphroaig and whisky lovers from around the world to the distillery on Tuesday 27 May for Laphroaig Open Day. Guests can expect a full day of festivities that capture the spirit of the distillery and its island home – from traditional music and dancing to the warmth of peat fires and the unmistakable aroma of Laphroaig's signature smoky whisky. Laphroaig will mark Fèis Ìle 2025 with its latest Càirdeas expression, Lore Cask Strength – a bold, richly layered single malt that completes our series of cask strength versions of well-known Laphroaig whiskies. With Càirdeas meaning 'friendship' in Gaelic, this release allows Friends of Laphroaig to discover exciting expressions matured in creative casks, and new twists to the iconic Islay Single Malt. Crafted as a marriage of five of Laphroaig's favourite cask types - including ex-Bourbon, Oloroso sherry, European oak, and quarter casks - this expression is non-chill filtered and bottled at natural cask strength, delivering the distillery's most intense flavour profile yet. On the nose, the whisky is sweet, herbal and boldly peaty, with a fruity expression opening with aromas of apricot, peaches in syrup, lemon cream, coconut and vanilla fudge. The palate delivers an explosion of peat and salty sea spray, followed by lemon zest, salted limes, caramel, and herbal notes of mint and tea leaves. Delicate spices like cumin, cloves and ginger emerge, leading to a long, citrus-sweet finish with an enduring phenolic character that defines Laphroaig. Laphroaig Càirdeas Lore Cask Strength SRP is £89 and is on sale exclusively from the distillery shop from Saturday 24 May. Bowmore Bowmore will open the gates to Islay's oldest licensed distillery on Wednesday 28th May for Bowmore Open Day. Set against the stunning backdrop of Loch Indaal, the distillery will come alive with exclusive tastings and experiences, each designed to showcase the craftsmanship behind their whisky. To celebrate this year's festival, Bowmore is proud to unveil an exclusive Fèis Ìle release – a 100% floor-malted single cask bottling. The Bowmore Fèis Ìle 2025 exclusive embodies Bowmore's commitment to quality, innovation and its time-honoured whisky-making tradition. Crafted with intent, and filled entirely by hand in the No. 1 Vaults, this captivating single malt reflects Bowmore's long-standing artisanal philosophy. On the nose, it is intense and spicy with blackcurrant, liquorice root, leather, and peat smoke. The palate is sweet and oily, with floral notes, charred orange rind, black cherry, with a long, lingering, almost chewy finish. Bowmore Fèis Ìle 2025 exclusive SRP is £120 and is on sale from the Bowmore distillery from Wednesday 28 May. Jura Jura Whisky is selling a new single cask release to celebrate this year's Fèis Ìle Festival. On 30 May Jura will be welcoming whisky lovers to its beachside distillery, with tours of the distillery on offer as well as tastings, live music, cocktails and boat tours exploring Jura's beautiful coastline. To mark the 2025 festival, a very special expression will be released limited to just 300 bottles, exclusively available to the whisky-lovers who visit Jura in-person during Fèis Ìle. Joe Ricketts, whisky maker, explained: 'For this year's Fèis Ìle single cask release we've revisited a standout 2007 vintage parcel. In 2022 the whisky making and distillery teams selected #1892, a bold, rich oloroso butt which explored a different side to Jura's distillery character. 'With an additional three years maturation, #1895 builds on the complexity of our 2022 Fèis Ìle release, with notes of crystallised citrus, prune and hazelnut together with hints of polished leather and dark chocolate from its full-course Sherry maturation.' This whisky is available exclusively at the Jura distillery between 23 May and 31 May 2025 with an RSP of £135. Ardbeg Marking 25 years of the Ardbeg Committee, this year's festivities on Saturday 31 May are, the team say, set to be out of this world. At the distillery and across the globe, Ardbeg will transport smoky malt lovers' taste-buds to a fruity new dimension, with Ardbeg Smokiverse, the limited edition whisky released for the festival. This limited edition will be the Islay distillery's first whisky crafted from a high-gravity mash, resulting in a distinctly vibrant, tropical and fruity spirit. This unconventional 'high-gravity' mash magnified the intensity of flavour-active compounds known as acetate esters, leading to a fruitier, more tropical spirit. Aged in bourbon casks, this Ardbeg whisky unveils layers of muscovado sugar, ripe barley, and toasted sourdough bread, all culminating in a burst of ripe tropical fruits and sweet peat. Ardbeg Smokiverse will be available to buy worldwide from Ardbeg Embassies, whisky specialists, online retailers, the Distillery Visitor Centre on Islay, and on from 28 May.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
I travelled on Britain's first renationalised train (and it took four times longer than usual)
'Rail Replacement Bus': three of the most depressing words in the English language. It's 5.08am, and rain is lashing at the prison-high walls of Woking station, a key commuter stop in the depths of Surrey, the steel shutters covering the entrance rattling but refusing to budge. It looks like a gloomy start for Britain's first nationalised rail service for 30 years. But then the sun comes out, the shutters lift and the train waiting on platform three is ready to leave. It's just deeply unfortunate for the Labour government that, on what should have been a rather momentous day in Labour's brave new world of rail renationalisation, over half of my journey to London is going to be replaced by a bus. Still, this hasn't thwarted the half a dozen hardy souls about to pile on board the 5.36am to Waterloo. For Rob Potter and his former colleague Steve, it's an excuse to crack open the Laphroaig single malt. 'Trains,' he says grandly, 'are the finest form of transport in the world.' Sadly, not many of the people he dealt with when he worked for South Western Railway as their customer services manager would have agreed. Users of Tripadvisor, the travel website, have given the service so many one-star reviews it's hard to find anything positive about it. (Another passenger tells me about the time he saw another South Western Railway manager – not 60-year-old Potter, mercifully – sharing a box of Celebrations with passengers one Christmas, before being angrily mobbed for his troubles, such was the level of general discontent.) In fact, customer dissatisfaction is a major reason South Western Railway was replaced with a Government-run body when the franchise ran out at 1.59am on Sunday morning. Eventually, all the privatised rail companies will come back under government control. 'It's one promise Keir Starmer is keeping and should get credit for,' says Potter. But fellow passenger Guy Holmes, a member of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, is less optimistic. He's in a rush to get to the ground for his team's derby match against local rivals Worcestershire. His connection to Euston is crucial but complex. 'There are several permutations of the journey and other engineering work to contend with,' he tells me anxiously. Matthew Tam, a 27-year-old experimental physicist at University College London, is cut from a different cloth, however. He was first in the queue to board the train at Woking and is one of a smattering of train enthusiasts braving the tedious engineering works today. Last week he was filming a new tram in Liege and posts videos of his travels around Europe by bus and train on his YouTube channel. He says that when he isn't thinking about quantum computing, he thinks about the management, integration and optimisation of public transport networks. Remarkably, he finds that Britain's myriad small rail and bus companies adds a stimulating element of confusion that his former home in Hong Kong lacks. In what can only be described as a unique example of a 'glass half full' attitude, he thinks the uniformity, efficiency and punctuality of Hong Kong's public transport is 'boring'. 'Some of my friends don't really understand. Everything arrives on time and the trains don't break down,' he says. He sees the frequent breakdowns and service failures on the rail network as puzzles to be figured out (unlike regular passengers, who find them a pain in the proverbial). I've got until Surbiton, on the London/Surrey border, before the rail replacement bus section of the line kicks in. It doesn't take long to get there, but it's quite a feat that we've actually made it anywhere: the 455 electric locomotive pulling the eight carriages from Woking to Surbiton is, after more than 60 years in service, showing its age. Streaks of dirt mar its once cheery orange, blue and yellow livery. Inside, the plum-coloured plush on the seats is wearing thin. A new blue and silver livery has been unveiled to mark South Western Railway's transition back into public ownership, but the new trains are not all in service yet. 'The 455 is a reliable workhorse but it is in need of replacement,' says driver Richard Guy. After 13 minutes of views of suburban gardens through the slightly grimy windows, at 5.59am, it was all change. Further up the line, as the transport minister Heidi Alexander is preparing to pull out of Waterloo on a very short journey for the TV cameras – on a train with the brand-new silver and royal blue livery of Labour's flagship Great British Railways – we're decanted off the train at Surbiton to find the rail replacement bus to Clapham Junction. It's a bumpy double decker, and depressingly, it's going to take about an hour. Still, the bus is easy to find, and the service slowly fills up as people trickle off the train. Network Rail engineers in fluorescent orange overalls sit downstairs. They do not look sorry that their engineering work has disrupted the bank holiday timetable. Jithin Thomas, 27, goes further: 'I hope the administrative overhaul [the network co-ordinating more closely with the train operating companies] that's likely to happen will please passengers.' To be honest, though, it is unlikely that many commuters will notice any difference, at least at first. Just as privately owned South Western Railway has been replaced by publicly owned South Western Railway, the management structure and staff will stay the same – for now, it is just the ownership that has changed. But Thomas says profits will now go into improving the service instead of investors' bank accounts. One boring hour later, the bus arrives at Clapham Junction so that we can rejoin the tracks and catch the train into London. It's a long way from platform 15 (the closest platform to where our bus arrives) to platform three, but no one has to run – there's an interminable 26-minute wait before the connecting train leaves for Waterloo. Today Clapham Junction station, normally bustling even on a Sunday, is like the scene from the zombie movie 28 Days Later, where the hero emerges after being unconscious in hospital to find London's streets deserted. There were no zombies (apart from sleep deprived passengers), but several of our fellow train-then-rail-replacement-bus passengers give up on the last leg of the (second) train, and hunt down one of a number of other, regular buses that connect Clapham to Waterloo. Tam is also bored waiting for the Waterloo train, and says he might catch a regular bus instead. This is a big deal for him: he loves buses like he loves trains, just not quite as much. He points out the irony that the rail replacement bus is operated by FirstGroup, the same company that actually ran South Western Railway when it began 29 years ago. A rail replacement bus also replaced the train on the day that John Major's privatised rail network came into service in 1996. Clearly, old habits die hard. Still, the 26-minute wait at Clapham is over, and on we board again… and after 11 minutes, we finally arrive at our final stop. The 28 miles from Woking to Waterloo has taken two hours and 10 minutes, an average speed not much faster than the stagecoaches that would have carried passengers when Waterloo was given its name in 1848. Usually, the average length of a journey from Woking to London Waterloo, without engineering works, is 33 minutes. Today it has taken four times as long. From his eyrie above the concourse at Waterloo station, an eagle-eyed South Western Railway manager spots our cameras and comes dashing down to explain why the first renationalised train was a bus. He says it was a decision taken for the benefit of passengers who would normally have caught the 06:14, the first train on a Sunday morning. To avoid making them late getting to Waterloo and possibly missing a connection, they made the first train especially early to take into account the delays caused by engineering work. It is an elegantly plausible solution, but what about that 26-minute wait at Clapham Junction? It might take a quantum physicist to work it out – but he is already on a different bus. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The "Unfortunate Habit" King Charles Inherited From an Unexpected Royal Relative
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. King Charles is known for many things, from his pioneering attitudes regarding sustainability and climate change, to his sometimes messy personal life. The monarch, too, apparently inherited an "unfortunate habit" from an unexpected royal relative, which is likely to form part of his legacy. In her 2022 book The Palace Papers, former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown wrote (via Hello! magazine), "[King Charles], unfortunately, chose to emulate his big-spending grandmother, who insisted on living in Edwardian grandeur, maintaining five fully staffed homes." Brown continued, "Charles, senior courtiers felt, wanted to 'out-granny Granny' in old world elegance." As reported by Hello! magazine, the Queen Mother's influence on grandson Charles has often been noted. "The Queen Mother set the tone for several generations of royal life," the outlet reported. "She remained a powerful influence on both Charles and Queen Elizabeth II." View Deal Elaborating on why The King inherited the Queen Mother's love of opulence, Hello! magazine explained, "Charles's admiration for her was well documented. Their bond was close, and it's not surprising he might model parts of his lifestyle on hers." According to the Daily Mail, King Charles's alleged decadence was particularly evident when he visited a friend in the north of England. "It is rumored Charles sent his staff ahead a day early with a truck carrying furniture to replace the fittings in the guest rooms," the outlet reported. "The truck apparently contained Charles and Camilla's complete bedrooms, including his orthopedic bed along with his own linen... Other items included a small radio, his own lavatory seat, rolls of Kleenex Premium Comfort lavatory paper, Laphroaig whisky and bottled water, plus two landscapes of the Scottish Highlands." As reported by the Daily Mail, King Charles's lavish tastes are on full display in his wardrobe, with the monarch preferring to wear handmade shirts that retail for approximately $1,350 each. As The King is richer than Queen Elizabeth II ever was, it's perhaps unsurprising that he favors expensive products, but this particular trait is reportedly straight out of the Queen Mother's playbook.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Karma Lakelands Unveils Dynamic Summer Karnival Golf Series with Community Focus, ET TravelWorld
Adventure 1 min read Karma Lakelands launches Summer Karnival golf series with lifestyle flair Karma Lakelands has kicked off the Karma Summer Karnival 2025, a six-part golf series blending sport with lifestyle experiences like sundowners, whiskey tastings, and curated cuisine. The inaugural 9-hole tournament drew 60 golfers and over 100 guests. Backed by Laphroaig, the series celebrates sport, community, and eco-conscious hospitality, with five more events scheduled through September.
Daily Record
20-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
The top 10 Islay whiskies from Scotland's famous 'whisky island' named
From Bunnahabhain to Laphroaig, the best whisky from Islay has been crowned. Islay's top whiskies have been named in a new list. The Inner Hebrides island is renowned around the world for its iconic whisky distilleries. For anybody looking to purchase a bottle of Scotland's National Drink, either for themselves or for somebody else, Islay is a good place to start. However, despite its small size, there are still countless different whiskies from its nine active distilleries to choose from. Whisky-Online Shop has rounded up the "top 10 Islay single malt whiskies". The whiskies on the list were praised by the retailer for their "big, smoky, peaty flavours". See below for the full list of the "top 10 Islay single malt whiskies". Further information about each one can be found on the Whisky-Online Shop website. 1. Bunnahabhain 2016-2024 | 8 Year Old Signatory Vintage 100 Proof Edition 31 This is a small-batch eight-year-old single malt that was bottled in 2024. It originated from first and second-fill sherry butts, and features notes of toffee, fudge, chocolate, and caramel. The Bunnahabhain 8 Year Old Signatory Vintage 100 Proof Edition 31 is available to purchase from The Whisky Barrel at a price of £50.76. It can also be bought from The Really Good Whisky Company for £47.99. 2. Bunnahabhain 10 Year Old Gordon & MacPhail Discovery Range The Bunnahabhain 10 Year Old Gordon & MacPhail Discovery Range was aged for a decade and has a smoky flavour profile. Aromas include almond, pear, and vanilla, while key lime pie and anise are among the tasting notes. A bottle of the Bunnahabhain 10 Year Old Discovery can be purchased from Master of Malt for £48.95—down from the usual price of £57.87. The whisky is also in stock at The Whisky Exchange for the same price. 3. Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old The Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old was first introduced in summer 2010, and was matured in high-quality bourbon and sherry casks. It includes floral notes and fresh citrus, as well as roasted nuts and sea salt. The whisky is currently in stock at The Whisky Exchange at a cost of £45.75. Elsewhere, it is available from Tesco for £45.50. 4. Bunnahabhain 11 Year Old Gordon & MacPhail Discovery Range Like the Bunnahabhain 10 Year Old, this was bottled by Gordon and MacPhail for their Discovery range. It features notes of marmalade, vanilla, cinnamon, plums, walnut, and milk chocolate. The Bunnahabhain 11 Year Old - Discovery can currently be purchased from Master of Malt for £48.95. The whisky is also being sold by The Whisky Exchange for the same cost. 5. Macleod's Islay Single Malt Macleod's Islay Single Malt is a strong and smoky whisky that is produced in very limited quantities. The small-batch malt is popular for its notes of smoke, peat, and seaweed. At the moment, Tesco is selling Macleod's Islay Single Malt for £45.51. 6. Laphroaig 10 Year Old Sherry Oak Finish The Laphroaig 10 Year Old Sherry Oak Finish is a full-bodied single malt that comes from the iconic Laphroaig distillery. Finished in sherry oak casks, its notes include honey, leather, treacle, maple syrup, and pine needles. A bottle of the whisky can be purchased from The Whisky Exchange for £55.95. Elsewhere, Laphroaig 10 Year Old Sherry Oak Finish is in stock at The Whisky Shop at a price of £60. 7. Bunnahabhain 30 Year Old Small Batch Distilled Another whisky from Bunnahabhain, its 30 Year Old Small Batch Distilled has undergone three decades of maturation. Matured specially in ex-sherry casks, the rich and sweet dram has notes of caramel, stewed berries, and spiced oak. Master of Malt is currently selling the Bunnahabhain 30 Year Old Small Batch Distilled for £583.99. Meanwhile, it can also be bought for £671 from The Whisky Exchange. 8. Peat's Beast Cask Strength Peat's Beast Cask Strength is a unique whisky that is bottled at cask strength, allowing its full depth and complexity to be showcased. The heavily peated malt is known for its notes of seaside air and bonfire ember. Peat's Beast Cask Strength can be purchased from Master of Malt for £59.95. Tesco also sells the whisky for £54.85. 9. Big Peat This is a blended Islay malt that includes spirit from Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Bowmore, and Port Ellen. Smoke, dark chocolate, pine, almond, and cinnamon can all be detected. At the moment, a bottle of Big Peat is available to buy at a price of £38.75 from The Whisky Exchange. It is also sold by Master of Malt for the same price. 10. Kilchoman Machir Bay & Sanaig 20cl Gift Pack Finally, the Kilchoman Machir Bay & Sanaig 20cl Gift Pack would be well-suited as a present—especially with Father's Day coming up. The set includes the Kilchoman Machir Bay and Kilchoman Sanaig whiskies. It is sold by The Whisky Shop for £57, though is currently out of stock. Full bottles of the two whiskies can also be bought for £41.25 and £69 from The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt respectively.
