I don’t find Lagavulin releases as consistently excellent as many of its fans do and I always approach a new sample with tempered expectations. So when I say this is the best one I’ve had, you can be assured there’s no hyperbole. It’s the 2017 edition of a bottling that Lagavulin releases annually to mark the Islay Jazz Festival and sells only at its distillery. The 2017 release comprised 6,000 bottles priced at 99 pounds and they don’t seem to have appreciated on the secondary market — Whisky Auctioneer sold one for 101 pounds a couple of weeks ago. There’s no age statement, but we’re told it was matured in a combination of refill American oak hogsheads and refill European oak butts. The color, which I typically ignore for review purposes, is noteworthy for its pallor - it’s as pale as a Pinot Grigio. More remarkable is the nose - a wave of delicious sweet smoke rolls out of the glass, speckled with wisps of lemons and pears. It’s thick and creamy in the mouth, with a hint of orange. The peat blasts through at the end, leaving a long peppery finish with notes of raisins and licorice. It’s surprisingly smooth at cask strength, but more easily enjoyed diluted to 50% ABV. The peppery peat comes through earlier on the palate at this strength. The combination of presumably youthful spirit and American oak is probably what makes this recipe succeed. Although the sherry butts contribute their share of flavor, it’s the subtlety creamy bourbon cask influence that differentiates this from other Lagavulins. Like the players in a great jazz band, this line-up of spirit and casks makes a beautiful sound.