{"id":87,"date":"2012-05-26T20:07:19","date_gmt":"2012-05-26T20:07:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/craigmcateer.co.uk\/islay\/?p=87"},"modified":"2012-05-30T08:01:55","modified_gmt":"2012-05-30T08:01:55","slug":"lagavulin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craigmcateer.co.uk\/islay\/?p=87","title":{"rendered":"Lagavulin"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today is day one officially of the Feis Ile ( Islay Festival for 2012) \u00a0and with this in mind it’s down the road to Lagavulin on another cracking day although there is a slight bit of breeze in the air which helps keep it artificially cooler.\r\nWe clear out of our B&B in Bruichladdich as we take over our holiday cottage for the week so it’s all the bags into the back of the truck and with the additional three people we have to put a couple of bags on the roof. \u00a0 \u00a0 My recommendation for a vehicle for the festival is a Landrover 110 County with all the seats in the back, you’ll always have space for something or someone else in the back.\r\n\"\"\r\n<\/a><\/p>\r\n

However first stop is to Bowmore (it’s enroute anyway) as they’ve started selling their Feis Ile this morning. \u00a0It comes in at a reasonably prices \u00a350, so with the assistance of Smudge I buy two, followed by Al and Wolfie who also buy two.<\/p>\r\n

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It’s then of course down to Lagavulin, which upon arrival there’s a huge queue of people waiting patiently for their turn to be served at the visitor centre which means that it’s the queue for Lagavulin’s Feis Ile. \u00a0The girls in the ticket office tell us it’s a two hour wait \u00a0as people are keen to get their hands on a bottle as it’s a limited number of bottles (300 I recall, but glad to be corrected). \u00a0 We’re booked on a Masterclass with Geordie Crawford who is the distillery Manager (and a very lovely and honest lady) at 1pm so the bottles not that important to us so we head down to the loading area where all the activities are taking place.\r\n\"\"<\/p>\r\n

There’s fresh seafood, live music, the local church have a stall selling cakes and proper scottish soup (it was lovely ladies as was the cakes – my favourites – the Empire and truffles \u00a0\ud83d\ude42 ) \u00a0 \u00a0 There was cocktails on the pier (whisky orientated obviously) and there was a sampling room which was dishing up free drams as well as the opportunity to purchase Lagavulin clothing etc. \u00a0 \u00a0 The distillery was basically open doors and the gorgeous weather helped create a relaxed and chilled out day.\r\n\"\"\r\n<\/a><\/p>\r\n

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Our masterclass with Geordie (did I tell you she was a lovely lady ?) began at 1pm where we assembled in what used to be Malt Mills malting room (oh keep your eyes out for a movie called Angels Share which will feature Malt Mill. \u00a0 \u00a0We were to be tasting today in order :\r\n\"\"\r\n<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n