Lagavulin has unveiled the Skies of Fèis Ìle 2026, a 31 year old single malt at cask strength (51.1%), released for the 40th anniversary of the Islay festival. Bottles are hand-filled and signed by distillery manager Jordan Paisley at the distillery, with a price of £2,800. They were sold only during Lagavulin Day on 23 May, with no retail distribution.
Release details
The 31 year old continues the “Skies of Fèis Ìle” line opened in 2024 with a 29 year old at 56.7% ABV. Over ten years of finishing close the maturation, in heavily charred American oak hogsheads seasoned with Oloroso. Same casks used on the 2024 release. The distillery describes the profile as deep fruit, faint sweetness and a long, smoky warmth. No outturn disclosed.
A recurring line
The price shouldn’t come as a surprise. The 2024 29 year old already sat around £2,000 at launch, so £2,800 for two extra years follows the same logic. The 2026 release confirms that “Skies of Fèis Ìle” is now a recurring line in the Lagavulin festival programme: a four-figure super-premium tier, distillery-only, sitting next to a more approachable retail bottling. This year’s sibling is a Lagavulin 14 Year Old Fèis Ìle 2026 at £240, with a five year finish in the same American oak casks seasoned with Oloroso. Diageo presents the two together as a “Blue Moon” double release: same finish, two very different ages.
Distillery only
The 31 year old was available only on Islay, at the distillery, during Lagavulin Day on 23 May. It didn’t reach specialist retailers. Anyone not on the island that day now has to turn to the post-event auction circuit, where the 2024 release had already traded above RRP and where the first 31 year old bottles have started to surface.
The full festival calendar is in our Fèis Ìle 2026 programme. For the distillery’s broader profile, see our Lagavulin 16 review.
