Music and whisky have always shared a kind of improvisational kinship. Both are arts of patience and timing, discipline and surprise. On Islay, where the sea spray seeps into casks and the wind itself can sound like a horn section, that kinship will be made literal this September. Diageo-owned Caol Ila Distillery has unveiled a commemorative bottling—the Caol Ila 18-Year-Old Jazz Festival Edition, The Guitarist—to celebrate its first year as official partner of the Islay Jazz Festival, now in its 27th edition.
The Whisky: Caol Ila 18-Year-Old Jazz Festival Edition
The limited edition release comes from a single American oak barrel, matured for eighteen patient years before being finished in a cask with toasted Scottish oak ends. At 52.8% ABV and limited to 948 bottles, it is an exercise in precision and atmosphere—just like the festival itself. The distillery describes the whisky as rich with peppery smoke, toffee apple, cinnamon, and saline peat, layered in a way that mirrors jazz’s ability to build on familiar riffs until something new and surprising emerges.
Priced at £250 (about US$315), the expression is available now at Caol Ila Distillery, with wider release planned for The Johnnie Walker Experience on Princes Street, Edinburgh. For collectors of Islay single malt, it is as much an artifact of place and moment as a liquid.
A Festival of Sound and Smoke
From 19–21 September 2025, the Islay Jazz Festival will bring a cross-section of Scotland’s musical talent to the island’s windswept shores. Performances range from the lyrical piano work of Fergus McCreadie, to the electric energy of Unharm, a band led by guitarist James Mackay, to the soulful voice of Gaïa and the compositional depth of bassist David Bowden, who will debut his live acoustic set Islay Experience inside Caol Ila’s maturation warehouse.
Brand home manager Eleanor Gillies described the partnership as a natural one:
“We always love the energy and excitement that the Jazz Festival brings to the island, and we’re honoured to be its partner in 2025. This year’s Festival Edition captures that spirit perfectly. At 18 years old, the expression reflects the essence of Caol Ila’s coastal character, with a gentle, but lingering fade of smouldering ember.”
Beyond the Music: Immersive Experiences
Caol Ila’s role goes beyond sponsorship. Over the three days, the distillery will host exclusive whisky and cocktail experiences designed to weave sound and flavour into a single sensory fabric. A Jazz-themed cocktail masterclass will let guests explore Caol Ila in unexpected formats, while the Smoke & Salt Food Pairing Experience showcases the whisky’s maritime profile alongside carefully crafted canapés.
For whisky purists, distillery manager Martin Gaughan will lead an intimate warehouse tasting of rare Caol Ila drams, culminating in a first sip of the Jazz Festival Edition itself—a moment that folds together history, place, and performance.
The Guitarist: A New Note in Islay’s Songbook
Each year, the Islay Jazz Festival reshapes the island into something like a stage, with music threading through distilleries and windswept halls. By joining as official partner and releasing the Caol Ila 18-Year-Old Jazz Festival Edition, the island’s largest distillery has marked its own new rhythm—one where whisky and music harmonize in both the glass and the air.
For more information, head over to the brand’s official website.
