If you didn’t know, Ardbeg Day is a big deal to fans of the smoky, Islay single malt Scotch whisky. It’s a yearly global celebration of the renowned distillery that takes place on the last Saturday of Islay’s Festival of Music and Malt, Fèis Ìle. This year is the 25th anniversary of the Ardbeg Committee, and the distillers have something truly special in store.
Ardbeg Smokiverse
This limited-edition expression is the Islay-based distillery’s first single malt whisky made with a high-gravity mash. This mash took years of experimentation from Ardbeg’s Whisky Creation Team. Creating this mash involves lowering the amount of water used in the packed mash tun. The result is a much fruitier, tropical spirit.
Matured in ex-bourbon barrels, Ardbeg days, the result is a memorable, complex whisky with notes of muscovado sugar, ripe barley, clove, leather, and toasted sourdough bread. It all finishes with a mix of robust peat smoke and ripe tropical fruits.
“The first whisky we have ever made with a high-gravity mash, Ardbeg Smokiverse takes our single malt’s classic peaty character to a new frontier of flavor,” Dr Bill Lumsden MBE, Ardbeg’s Director of Whisky Creation, said.
“By ramping up the density of our wort to new heights, we’ve drawn in fruitier, sweeter flavors from the deepest corners of the mash tun. Upon the first sip, you can expect a vibrant burst of fruity, ester notes, rather like smoked bubble gum, along with aromas of barley. Then peaty notes collide with juicy, tropical fruits, before sinking into a rich depth of muscovado sugar.”
Where can I buy it?
It will be available at select whisky retailers on May 15th. A presale will be held on ReserveBar.com a few days earlier. Like with all Ardbeg Day releases, Ardbeg Committee members will be the first to receive the presale link for Ardbeg Smokiverse. The suggested retail price is $124.99.
