it certainly won’t break the bank and if you’ve ever been before, you’ll surely agree that it’s worth every penny, and then a whole lot more besides. 

Feis Ile is not just a celebration of peated Islay whisky, it’s a celebration of the island itself, the friendly locals, and its rich and storied history. Speaking of which, it’s the history of Feis Ile that I want to chat with you about today. So, get your feet up, grab a dram of your favourite Islay whisky, and let’s learn more about this fantastic whiskey celebration. 

Queen of the Hebrides

So, we’ve established that Feis Ile is a whisky festival held each May on the island of Islay, but beyond that we’ve still got a great deal to learn. 

If you’re familiar with the blogs here at Great Drams, you’ll know that I’m a huge fan of Islay. I love the UK coastline and Islay’s is up there with the most breathtaking and dramatic you’ll ever see. 

Islay is the southernmost island on Scotland’s Inner Hebrides. It has been dubbed the ‘Queen of the Hebrides’ and once you’re lucky enough to spend some time there, you’ll instantly understand why that is (see, I told you I loved it). 

As of this writing (Feb 2025), Islay is home to 11 working distilleries, though later in the year that number will become 12 when Laggan Bay Distillery opens its doors. This partnership between The Islay Boys, famous for their Flatnose Whisky, and Ian Macleod Distillers is something I’ll be covering later in more detail, so watch this space. 

Islay is renowned for its peaty, smoky whisky and offers a glimpse back in time at Scotland’s storied history of whisky distilling through its use of traditional working practices and ingredients, and its iconic whitewashed distilleries dotted along the rugged coastline. Visiting Islay is not only like visiting your own little country, it’s like travelling back in time. The oldest distillery here, Bowmore, was founded way back in 1779. 

Islay is synonymous with Scotch whisky, so it would only make sense to hold one of the most popular whisky festivals in the world here. 

Feis Ile Festival Origins

Held annually in May, Feis Ile is a two-day festival that not only celebrates Islay whisky and the distilleries that produce it, but the island itself. 

Back in 1985, in an effort to help boost tourism to the secluded island, a committee got together and looked for ways of bringing more tourists to the island during the summer season. They decided to launch an Islay Festival, or ‘Feis Ile’. 

One year later in 1986, the first Feis Ile festival took place. Back then, it wasn’t so much about the whisky, but rather it was a glorified music festival and talent show, designed to help showcase local talents and bring people together as a community. It was about celebrating Islay’s heritage, culture, and natural beauty. The whisky was purely an afterthought. In fact, there was only one whisky tasting that took place.

Back then, the festival lasted nearly three weeks, and proved a huge hit. As the years progressed, more and more events were added. Villages would compete for Best Dressed Village, there were floats and processions, live music, live performances, dances, concerts, markets, and much more. Gradually, more and more whisky-related experiences were included as well, with tasting events proving especially popular. 

Gradually the island’s whisky distilleries also became more involved and by the year 2000 they would host special Open Days and would even release their own unique special edition Feis Ile Whisky releases. These proved to be hugely popular, especially as Islay had such a rich and storied history with whisky. 

All About the Whisky

As the distillery Open Days proved to be such huge hits, more and more whisky-related activities became linked with Feis Ile. Distilleries would host nosing events, whisky master classes, tastings, distillery tours, and plenty more besides. 

As many of Islay’s distilleries were, and are, considered some of the most prestigious in the world, as the internet was now a thing (yes, the internet did used to be an afterthought) word quickly spread and whisky enthusiasts from across the globe began attending. The event was even re-named, and was referred to as the ‘Festival of Music & Malt’. 

Today, the festival is all about the whisky and sees every distillery on Islay host their own unique Open Days. It typically lasts 9 – 10 days on average and begins with Lagavulin Day and ends with an enormous party for Ardbeg Day. Each of the distilleries get in on the action and release a unique special bottling or two in celebration. 

As far as these bottlings go, it’s often Ardbeg that grabs the headlines as the closing party really is something special. Last year saw the release of Ardbeg Spectacular. Whisky aficionados keep a close eye on Ardbeg as their Feis Ile releases have reached legendary status. 

Ardbeg Spectacular is the very first whisky from the distillery to be finished in port casks. It is the perfect marriage of bourbon and port casks and is one of their most complex releases yet. There is of course peat smoke and seaweed (what else would you expect from an Islay expression?) along with sweeter notes of sea salted caramel, milk chocolate, honey, and syrup poached pears. Floral notes of lavender, heather, and spearmint help to bring everything together beautifully with a fab mouthfeel. It’s a really special dram, this one, and I’m expecting big things from the 2025 release. 

If you’d like to learn more about your favourite whiskies, or simply treat yourself to a dram or two in the process, head on over to GreatDrams.com and take a look at what we have to offer. 

With an impressive selection of limited-edition, rare, and award-winning whisky, as well as heaps of whisky info on our blog, it’s the perfect spot for any whisky lovers out there.