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INTRODUCING

Friends of the Fèis

Our new project to share the message of the Islay Festival across the world.
what is it?
Friends of the Fèis is our way of bringing our whisky friends into the festival family.
Last year, the Committee and our Festival partners made the decision that the only Islay and Jura distilleries and bottlers could release Fèis Ìle bottles - but we know there are many Islay fans out there who wanted to be involved in the festival, so the 'Friends of the Fèis' was born!
In the inaugural year, we reached out to our whisky friends we'd worked with in the past to see if they wanted to join us on this new journey - we're delighted that they've come on aboard.
why now?
Friends of the Fèis partners pay a fee, so that we make sure that the funds come back to the island and benefit the festival and the people here.
We want people to know if you're buying a Fèis Ìle bottling, it was born on the island and it's run by a distillery or bottlers with a business and staff on the island.
Some businesses trade on the Islay Festival name, without ever giving back to the festival or the people of the islands, we'd like to stop this and encourage people to give back.
We want you as consumers know who's giving back to the island and its people.
We want to give businesses who love Islay, Jura and the festival, an opportunity to get involved, wherever they are in the world.
We'd like to spread the word of these islands, their beauty, culture and people across the world - and encourage people to make their own visit. It's not all about the whisky!
who are they?

2022 Partners

Islay Mist

Douglas Laing's
Big Peat

The Whisky Show Australia

Vintage Malt Whisky Logo

Finlaggan Vintage Malt Whisky

Profiles

All about our new Friends of the Fèis in our inaugural year.
Islay Mist Festival Release

ISLAY MIST

Blended Scotch Whisky
Islay Mist have been generous festival partners, sponsoring many events in recent years, especially the notorious Mist'ry Bus Tour! We're delighted to have them on board as official Friends of the Fèis - cementing our partnership.

In recent years, a series of mist’erious events have occurred during Fèis Ìle, most notably the Mist’ery Bus Tour that will be happening again this year for the second time running as well as a limited edition Friends of Fèis Ìle bottling - exclusively available on Islay- updates to follow!
Learn More >
Islay Mist was created on Islay in the 1920s using whisky from the Laphroaig Distillery as well as choice Speyside distilleries. Initially blended for the 21st birthday celebration of the son and heir of the then Lord Margadale, this gold-medal winning whisky still carries the seal of the Lord of the Isles.

Staying true to the founding recipe, Islay Mist remains the original peated blend with characteristic balanced smoky and peaty tones between layers of mellow oaky maltiness.

DOUGLAS LAING'S BIG PEAT

Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Douglas Laing's Big Peat is a feisty Islay character with a sweet side - and it'll definitely be feis'ty this year!

For many years they've celebrated their annual Festival Big Peat release with us - now we're delighted to have them aboard for their inaugural Big Peat 'Friends of the Fèis' release.

Douglas Laing’s flagship Whisky brand, Big Peat, is instantly recognisable by “his” feisty fisherman demeanour. Uncork the iconic yellow bottle and you’ll be greeted by sensational wafts of peat smoke, maritime saltiness, and barley sweetness. Since 2009, Big Peat has been hand-selecting and marrying together only the finest Single Cask Single Malts from his home Island of Islay. The resulting small batch spirit is seriously smoky and always offered proudly without colouring or chill-filtration – allowing the truly unique flavours to shine naturally. Discover more about Big Peat and his serious commitment to smoke at Fèis Ìle 2022!
FESTIVAL RELEASE NOW AVAILABLE >

THE WHISKY SHOW AUSTRALIA

Australia's premium whisky tasting festival
We're delighted to welcome the Whisky Show onboard down under! We've been talking to these guys for a long time, and we're so happy to have them as part of the Festival Family.

THE WHISKY SHOW AUSTRALIA

Established in 2011 by David Ligoff, The Whisky Show is Australia’s favourite whisky festival. Connecting whisky fans all over Australia to the liquid they adore, The Whisky Show now in its 11th year is gearing up to bring back in-person whisky festivals and events with a lineup of shows scheduled for 2022. Over 5,000 whisky lovers will attend whisky festivals at all major Australian cities, plus a number of specialised whisky shows focused on regional whiskies, including Australian whisky, Islay Scotch Whisky and USA whiskey to be featured. The Whisky Show is the premier whisky event on the whisky calendar for Australians.

Since Covid, The Whisky Show has pioneered a number of virtual whisky shows and festivals in the world, including the popular Virtual Aussie Whisky Show – the livestream showcased dozens of different Australian whisky distilleries, and was watched by tens of thousands of viewers globally. David was awarded 2021 Communicator of the Year for Australia by the UK's Whisky Magazine in their annual Icons of Whisky Awards.
Learn More >

FINLAGGAN VINTAGE MALT WHISKY

A long time festival partner and supported of the Finlaggan Turst on Islay.
Vintage Malt Whisky write: Undoubtedly our flagship brand and where The Vintage Malt Whisky Companys’ story started. Nearly 30 years later Finlaggan Islay Single Malt has many glorious and award winning expressions.
On the Island of Islay lies Loch Finlaggan, a place of great importance in Scottish history. In the loch are three islands, two of which are Eilean Mor (large island) and Eileen na Comhairle (council isle) where the installation of the Macdonald Lords of the Isles took place. The chiefs of Clan Donald, chose Finlaggan Castle as their home and the centre of their lordship, so that Islay is often referred to as the Cradle of Clan Donald. The Lords of the Isles ruled the islands and part of the west coast of Scotland during the 13th to 15th centuries, virtually independent of royal control until 1493 when the lordship of the Isles fell to James IV of Scotland. The heir to a strong Gaelic and Norse tradition, the Lord of the Isles was one of the most powerful figures in the country with the small islands in Loch Finlaggan a centre of symbolic and historical importance.
Today, a charity “The Finlaggan Trust” maintains the site and the Vintage Malt Whisky Company is a proud supporter.

Their 2022 bottling will be available at the Whisky Shop in Bowmore during the festival, so please drop in a grab a bottle!
Learn More >
2023

Could you be our Friend?

If you're interested in becoming a Friend of the Fèis, please get in touch with us, here's our basic criteria!
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE WHISKY
Fèis Ìle is a celebration of island life, culture and it's people, the whisky is a part of that - not the main element.
IT'S ABOUT GIVING BACK
There's a lot done in Islay's name around the world - this is about giving back to the island that gives the world its whisky.
Registered Charity Number SC004390
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