With phenol levels in excess of 170 ppm, Ardbeg Hypernova possesses a malty magnitude never before seen in an Ardbeg. On the nose, pungent notes of creosote mingle with soot and tar. On the palate, a bold peppery mouthfeel leads into a most curious juxtaposition of flavours – sweet chocolate, cooling peppermint, peat smoke, bitter almonds, and then a hugely long, lingering burst of spices like aniseed and clove. The finish collapses in on itself with enormous, heavy smoke, before returning to earthy notes of roasted coffee and smoked heather.

Colin Gordon, Ardbeg’s Distillery Manager, said: “Hypernova turns on the afterburners and hauls our spirit into smoky new depths. Highly experimental, this whisky is peaty and intense, with a taste that’s totally surreal. This spirit is not just a slice of Ardbeg history, it’s a once in a lifetime event… not to be missed!”

Ardbeg’s Director of Distilling and Whisky Creation, Dr Bill Lumsden, said: “This is without a doubt the smokiest Ardbeg ever. We wanted to really push the boundaries this time and boldly go where Ardbeg has never ventured before. A hypernova is a collapsing star explosion so powerful it threatens the fabric of the galaxy – while I don’t think this whisky will tear a hole in space and time, it’s certainly bursting with fantastically peaty flavour.”

Available exclusively to members of the Ardbeg Committee, Ardbeg Hypernova will be available online and in Embassies from October 2022. For those intrepid enough to venture to the Distillery, there will be a small number of bottles ready to buy in person. For more news on this series and all things Ardbeg, smoky malt whisky fans can join the Ardbeg Committee at Ardbeg.com/committee.

Membership is free and all Ardbeg fans are welcome.

Tasting notes

PUNGENT PEAT SMOKE & CURIOUSLY FRUITY NOTES

ABV: 51%

COLOUR: Pale Sulphur 

NOSE: Powerful, pungent and almost brutal in its intensity, waves of tar, smoke, sea salt and an almost ‘barnyard’ aroma fill the void. Ethereal whispers of fruit, reminiscent of flowering blackcurrants, float into bold bursts of peppermint. Water releases a flurry of more rounded top notes, with a touch of lavender and a slightly chocolaty sensation, before finally arriving at curious hints of plasticine and burnt rubber. 

TASTE: An explosive, peppery mouthfeel launches the palate into a most bizarre juxtaposition of flavours – sweet chocolate, cooling mint, pungent peat smoke, bitter almonds, and then an infinitely long, lingering burst of spices like aniseed and clove.

FINISH: Descend into a finish that collapses in on itself with enormous, heavy smoke. Before returning to earthy notes of roasted coffee and smoked heather.