Happy Ardbeg Day. It’s a peaty party…
Saturday 3 June is Ardbeg Day. No, us neither, but it’s whisky so we’re willing to roll with it…
To mark this year’s celebration, the Islay distillery is releasing a special limited edition that promises to be the most Ardbeg of Ardbegs ever made because they’ve abandoned the purifier – the piece of kit that helped give balance between Ardbeg’s extreme peaty qualities, and floral fruitiness.
Ardbeg’s Director of Whisky, Dr Bill Lumsden has, as an experiment, allowed the heaviest and untamed vapours to rise up the still during the distillation process before being captured, matured and bottled. The results, we’re told – and fully believe – are intense, pungent and aromatic. Even the official tasting notes reference a “disturbing ashy coal dust” and a casting haze of cardamom, eucalyptus and coffee grits that lingers long and bold. Drinkers can also expect pungent earthiness, aromatic clouds of dark chocolate, a billow of aniseed and cinnamon, and a lingering tang of sharp peppermint,
Ardbeg Heavy Vapours is strictly limited edition, and will be available to purchase online for £120 from the Ardbeg website and whisky specialists such as The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt.