Missing Purifier Leads to Full-Blown Flavor in Ardbeg Day Limited Edition Whisky
The heavy vapours have risen! Ardbeg invites fans to uncover a mysterious new dram and story in its Planet Ardbeg comic book series to celebrate Ardbeg Day 2023.
Ardbeg Day is a global celebration of all things Ardbeg, held annually on the last Saturday of Islay's Festival of Music and Malt, Fèis Ìle. With festivities set to take place at the distillery and across the globe on Saturday 3 June this year, Ardbeg will mark the event by releasing an experimental Limited Edition whisky, Ardbeg Heavy Vapours.
Following the distillery’s Planet Ardbeg comic launch last year, a dramatic new storyline in the series will be revealed alongside the new expression that’s inspired by its unusual creation. And so this year, whisky lovers are invited to celebrate the theme of ‘Planet’ Ardbeg Day - where they can expect to be transported into Ardbeg’s mythical, graphic novel universe.
For the first time ever at Ardbeg its whisky has been distilled without a purifier – the apparatus on the still responsible for maintaining Ardbeg’s unrivalled balance between extreme peat and floral fruitiness.
This creative experiment by Director of Whisky Creation, Dr Bill Lumsden, has allowed the heaviest and untamed vapours to rise up the still during the distillation process, before being captured, matured and bottled. On the nose, intense and aromatic smoke rises with hints of sweetness. On the palate, surges of bittersweetness disturb ashy coal dust, peppermint and cardamom, before clouds of dark chocolate and eucalyptus roll into disguise Ardbeg’s iconic balance.
The expression’s unusual distillation process and resulting flavour has been brought to life in the accompanying graphic novel created by celebrated comic artist and illustrator, Dilraj Mann. The plot follows Agent 46 (AKA Jackie Thomson, Ardbeg Visitor Centre Manager and Committee Chair) – a plucky interplanetary detective on a quest to locate the elusive purifier and restore Ardbeg’s signature balance.
The Distillery is inviting fans and whisky lovers to enter the ARDverse for Planet Ardbeg Day by attending as their favourite Ardbeg-inspired hero, comic character or mythical creature.
Ardbeg’s Director of Whisky Creation, Dr Bill Lumsden, commented: “A missing purifier is unprecedented for Ardbeg. This experiment was something I’ve always imagined trying – what would happen to the flavour and character of Ardbeg as we know and love it, by distilling in this unique way? Well, it’s now time for Ardbeg fans to find out; this is a full-blown dram where Ardbeg’s exalted balance has been disrupted in the most fantastic of ways – a truly captivating dram.”
Colin Gordon, Ardbeg Distillery Manager, said: “The time has almost come again where we call on Ardbeg fans and whisky lovers across the world to celebrate Planet Ardbeg Day with us, be that on Islay at the distillery or at one of our events around the world.
“Our 2023 theme will be a celebration of our Planet Ardbeg graphic novel universe, where we’ll be uncovering the mysteries behind our latest Limited Edition release, Ardbeg Heavy Vapours. We can’t wait to celebrate this iconic date in the whisky calendar with our global community again soon.”
For those who can’t make it on the day, Ardbeg’s Director of Whisky Creation, Dr Bill Lumsden will be hosting an Ardbeg Heavy Vapours masterclass on ardbeg.com.
Ardbeg Heavy Vapours will be available to buy worldwide from Ardbeg Embassies, whisky specialists, online retailers, and from the Distillery Visitor Centre. RRP: £120.
For more news on Ardbeg Day 2023, including celebrations taking place in London, smoky malt whisky fans can join the Ardbeg Committee at ardbeg.com/en-gb/committee
Ardbeg - Heavy Vapours Tasting Notes
ABV: 46%
Colour: Pale straw
Nose: Smoke rises with a cloying sweetness. Intense, pungent and aromatic, a distinctive farmyard scent drifts, along with a crunchy aroma, like creosote or tarry rope. A splash of water disturbs the vapours and dark chocolate cream billows, laced with a ribbon of smoked artichoke.
Taste: Ardbeg’s untamed darker flavours and notes have risen. A burst of bittersweetness surges, disturbing ashy coal dust and casting a haze of cardamom, peppermint and coffee grits. Clouds of dark chocolate and mentholic eucalyptus roll in, obscuring the fruit and floral notes usually found at the heart of Ardbeg. Wisps of aniseed twists, cinnamon balls and antiseptic lozenges float on the palate.
Finish: The aftertaste lingers long and bold.
