2022 MARKS RELEASE OF FIVE ARDBEG EXPRESSIONS
2022 proved to be a hectic year for Ardbeg, releasing
as many as five expressions.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
February this year saw the release of the Ardbeg Fermutation which had undergone an unnaturally long fermentation period, more by accident than design. April saw the debut of the Fon Fhòid which had been buried in peat bogs for several years, before being released from Singapore on the back of an NFT, marking Ardbeg's entry into the virtual world of shadowy tokens. Fèis Ìle 2022 saw the Ardcore, distilled from roasted black malt and launched on Ardbeg Day, 22 June. Then the fourth Traigh Bhan in September, setting the stage, as it were, for October and Ardbeg’s new Smoketrails Manzanilla Travel Exclusive edition at major Airports, initially within the UK, but moving out across international borders.
ARDBEG FERMUTATION: The Ardbeg Committee Selection for February 2022 is one that honestly could not be replicated even if tried. This is the second “happy accident” with Ardbeg, but somehow that one-off whisky is found on the shelves over and over. For the Ardbeg Fermutation, a broken boiler is to blame for the longest fermentation period in the distillery’s history.
Ardbeg typically ferments its products for 72 hours. In
November 2007, a dead boiler almost ruined six washbacks full of whisky. Dr.
Lumsden wanted to experiment with longer fermentations and told the
distillery team to open the washback lids. With these lids open, the salty
Islay air graced the contents as it fermented for another three weeks.
Alcohol conversion slows down dramatically after 48
hours, but the longer a ferment goes on, the more flavour is imparted. Whether wood
or steel, the washbacks also impact flavour. At Ardbeg, they are made of Oregon
pine (Douglas fir), which has nuances of its own. With the Ardbeg Fermutation,
no one knew what those extra three weeks would do to the whisky. A science
project worth a run. Whether the extended exposure of the wash to the Islay air
added flavours to the whisky or whether this is just a marketing story is up to
you to decide.
The Ardbeg Fermutation is only available to The Ardbeg
Committee members at this time. While this sounds exclusive, anyone interested
can join The Committee. There are more than 130,000 members in over 130
countries. I too am a member of The Ardbeg Committee.
Tasting Notes:
ABV: 49.4%
Type: An Islay whisky matured in ex-bourbon casks
(first and refill) for 13 years. Limited Ardbeg Committee release.
Volume & Cost: 750ml ~$195.
Colour: Pale straw
Nose: Upon first whiff, fresh mulch and herbal with
menthol, sage and lovage, but there are also damp and musty notes and sweaty
socks to make a stinky combination. The dram then turns lighter and more
floral. Accents of baby powder and spearmint. Marzipan, a touch of lime,
grilled pineapple and pears, with ash notes coming through. Macaron provides a
touch of nuttiness at the end. With a little water, powerful waves of
diesel oil, tar, fresh paint and anise.
Palate: Soot and black pepper touch the tongue first.
A
sweet follow up that turns mineral and ashy with cold smoke, along with a
citrus note. The smoke is not robust and lingers in the background. Overall,
the whisky is earthy. Despite the earthiness, the whisky is also fruity with
oranges and charred peaches with fresh cream.
Finish: Short to medium length and maintains those
mineral and ashy notes; salt, mint, tar, oak tannin & leather.
ARDBEG FON FHÒID: The idea of burying a barrel of
whisky in a peat bog was conceived by Dr. Bill Lumsden, Ardbeg’s Director of
Whisky Creation, and in 2014, the distillery was able to bring that idea to
life. Ardbeg’s team, led by then Distillery Manager Mickey Heads, took two
casks of already mature whisky aged in second-fill bourbon casks and buried
them in a peat bog near the distillery. Two years and 10 months later, the
casks were unearthed from the peat bog and returned to the warehouse, where
they were left to mature for a few more years before being married and bottled
as an NFT.
Category – Spirits, whisky, Scotch, Single Malt, 45.5% ABV
Location – Worldwide, available as an NFT edition via
BlockBar.com
Price – Approximately US$3,000
The latest Ardbeg expression takes its name from 'under
the turf'. Moët Hennessy has become the latest spirits brand owner
to jump on the Non-Fungible Token (NFT) bandwagon, announcing the release of a
limited edition from its Ardbeg single malt Scotch whisky brand.
Ardbeg Fon Fhòid may still be available exclusively on high-end wine and spirits NFT trading site BlockBar.com from 19 April. Limited to 456 units, the expression will be stored at BlockBar’s facility in Singapore until redeemed by its owners. The whisky has an SRP of 1.00 Ethereum (around US$3,000).
The release is groundbreaking for Moët Hennessy in more
ways than one, having been aged in second-fill Bourbon casks that were buried
under a peat bog near the Islay distillery for two years and ten months. For
the first time ever, Ardbeg burrowed their barrels in oxygen-deprived, water-rich, soggy, boggy ground, resulting in a one-of-a-kind NFT exclusive to
Blockbar.
BlockBar is a platform that offers NFTs, each of which
is linked to an individual physical bottle of liquor from luxury brands that is
stored by BlockBar. In effect, Ardbeg has released its first NFT in the form of
an unusually matured whisky!
Quite a few distilleries have taken to selling
their spirits in NFT form or accompanied by NFTs (Hennessy, Dalmore,
Glenfiddich, Macallan, Kinsale and Patrón). Maker’s Mark even became the
official bourbon partner of an NFT collection and created a custom bottle label
for it.
Bottled at 45.5% ABV, Ardbeg Fon Fhòid will be priced
at 1 ETH (about $3,034 on April 18). The sale went live on the whisky NFT platform
BlockBar at 10 a.m. EST on April 19. The release is limited to 456 bottles, all
of which will be sold on BlockBar.
The bottles will be stored at BlockBar’s facility in
Singapore until they’re redeemed, which can begin Dec. 1. Buyers can also trade
their NFT within the BlockBar marketplace, store the bottle in a virtual bar or
gift the NFT through the company’s new gifting platform. Each buyer will
receive a digital certificate that will verify their ownership and the
authenticity of the bottle.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Pale Straw
Nose: Pungent, waxy and salty with a curious, but
distinctive, mossy note. This is then followed by a hint of molasses or
sugarcane. There is also a background musty/earthy note, like walking into a
damp whisky warehouse. A splash of water releases some more herbal notes,
almost like asparagus or artichoke. Next comes a waxy, oily fragrance,
reminiscent of a freshly waxed jacket along with a distinctive soapy aroma.
Palate: A slightly drying mouthfeel is followed by some
savoury notes, like grilled artichoke and ground pepper, along with a
suggestion of rye bread. The classic Ardbeg smokiness is subdued, but always in
the background, coming across as tar-coated fennel.
Ardbeg’s decision to partake in the NFT trend, however,
has ruffled some feathers in a whisky community that scoffs at NFTs and
cryptocurrency. Ardbeg is something of a darling in the whisky world, so seeing
a distillery that is widely adored join the NFT party has spawned some
annoyance.
Discover How The Foods You're Eating Every Day Are Making Your Fat Cells SICK ... Making it IMPOSSIBLE to lose weight, while also damaging your joints, disrupting your hormones, rapidly ageing your skin, and even leading to Diabetes. CLICK HERE
The new Ardbeg Ardcore actually went on sale on April 26th
(Committee Exclusive), while the general release was available from May 17th on
Ardbeg.com. LVMH’s marketing department went to great lengths to come up with a
marketing story for the Ardbeg Ardcore, this time focussing on brand’s alleged
punk past, with Islay’s main port, Port Ellen, going by the nickname ‘Punk
Ellen’ in the 1970s. It is difficult to verify this little scrap of
information, and it’s probably based on something obscure. Islay was never a
hotbed for punk rock! However, there is something called The Ardbeg Song (?) from
a Danish punk rock band.
Each of the island’s distilleries has a featured day in the Feis Ile week, during which they host tours, offer entertainment, and even release new
whiskies. COVID forced the festival to go virtual in 2020 and 2021, so there
was plenty of pent-up demand and excitement surrounding the 2022 in-person
events.
The latest special edition has been released for the
2022 Ardbeg Day celebrations. June 4th sees celebrations at the distillery and
at various events all over the world, not to mention online. Each year there is
a theme. This year its punk rock. The whisky is called Ardcore and its made
from dark roasted malted barley.
This whisky takes the name “Ardcore” as a shortening of
“hardcore” in homage to punk rock and the roasted black malt used for this
release. It’s probably appropriate to describe black malt as malt roasted all
the way up to 11, or until “practically incinerated,” to quote Master Distiller
Dr. Bill Lumsden in the official launch video.
In it, they describe how the typical Ardbeg heavy peat
profile was toned down to better showcase the aromatics of malt so dark, it
turned the mash jet black. The whisky was aged in first-fill and second-fill
American ex-bourbon barrels to add a contrasting sweetness to the finished
product. The Committee release, offered to Ardbeg email newsletter subscribers
in select countries, was bottled at 50.1% ABV.
Tasting Notes: Ardbeg Ardcore Limited Edition Islay
Single Malt Whisky
Vital Stats: Aged for nearly 10 years in mostly
first-fill and some second-fill ex-bourbon barrels, 46% ABV, mash bill: 75%
distilling malt, 25% black malt, SRP roughly $130/ 750ml bottle.
Appearance: This whisky is a pale straw yellow.
Nose: Lots of thick Ardbeg smoke. Coal fires. Chimney
smoke. Ash. Charcoal. Soot. A touch of that famous medicinal TCP note that’s
unique to Islay. The roasted barley is there too. Dark chocolate and well-fired
morning rolls. Cereals. There’s also citrus – lemon and fresh orange. The
longer it sits in the glass, the fruitier it seems to become, with notes of
caramel sauce and melted white chocolate. Soon there’s tropical pineapple
coming through. It almost develops a white wine quality. The moderate peat
aroma shows a touch of sweet corn and iodine. It seems very fresh with a
bracing aroma like newly fallen snow. There’s an earthy undertone of wet autumn
leaves and fermented pu’er tea that distinguishes it from a typical Islay
whisky.
Palate: This is sweet and delicate on entry, with an
oily texture and moderately rich body. There’s a savoury quality not unlike
Worcester sauce and roasted peanuts. The pepperiness builds on the finish, showing the lasting aromas of steamed corn, peat, and baked fish. An impression of salty
liquorice and char. The aromas of stony beaches and seashells evaporate off the
palate. Thick, almost acrid smoke like sitting too close to a campfire. Water
brings out a delicate caramel note like milk powder, but does not further
enhance the experience.
Finish: Smoky and long, though perhaps not as intense
as expected.
ARDBEG TRAIGH BHAN BATCH 4: A September release of one
of Ardbeg’s most rare spirits might pique Islay whisky collectors’ interest.
The release of Ardbeg Traigh Bhan No. 4 marks the fourth bottling of the sherry-cask-aged single malt, an emailed Aug. 17 press release states. This year’s expression, however, carries a unique flavour in its profile: smoky menthol.
This bottle is the fourth in the brand’s annual
collection of Traigh Bhan whisky, an expression aged 19 years. It’s
inspired by the namesake Isle of Islay’s Traigh Bhan beach, a location known as
“Singing Sands” to locals.
The brand describes this year’s expression as serving
decadent flavours of chocolate, raisin, peanut brittle, and bitter coffee. It
offers an almost “medicinal” tone on the finish, with methanol, spicy anise,
and other sharp notes.
Ardbeg 19 Years Old Traigh Bhan Batch 4 is another incredible iteration in the series,” master distiller Bill Lumsden states in the release. “It follows in the footsteps of previous bottlings, but thanks to some tweaks to the recipe, we’ve brought more woodsmoke, menthol, and aniseed to the fore. This is an impossibly balanced, not-to-be-missed Ardbeg.”
The flavour profile can be attributed in part to the
whisky’s extra time spent in Oloroso sherry casks, compared to previous
releases’ length of ageing. The 46.2 per cent ABV whisky is available at select
spirit retailers, online, and at Ardbeg outlets. It’s priced at $299.99.
ARDBEG SMOKETRAILS: Ardbeg Smoketrails is a reportedly collectable series of limited edition whiskies aimed at travel retail.
The first in the series – Ardbeg Smoketrails Manzanilla Edition – marries whisky aged in the finest Manzanilla sherry casks and classic Ardbeg American oak casks. The result is a taste adventure that takes in dark chocolate, salty sea spray, Brazil nuts and saddle soap.
Ardbeg Smoketrails was available on sale from the 5th of October at nine UK airports, viz., Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Newcastle, Birmingham, Manchester, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Then, from 1st November, in person at the Ardbeg Distillery Visitor Centre and in most international airports globally.
The Smoketrails collection would involve sourcing good quality casks from different countries. The first edition features classic
Ardbeg cask whisky matured in American oak married with Ardbeg whisky aged in
ex-Manzanilla casks sourced from Sanlúcar de Barrameda off Spain’s Atlantic
Coast.
Given the sheer number of operational whisky
distilleries, releasing a Manzanilla Sherry-aged whisky isn’t particularly
revolutionary these days. Amongst the main styles of Sherry, Manzanilla is one
of the lightest and driest, with low sugar levels and often a tangy, yeasty,
savoury character. These influences and flavours are significantly different
from the more common types of rich or sweet Sherry used for whisky maturation,
the likes of Oloroso or Pedro Ximénez.
ABV: 46%
Colour: Pale Gold
Nose: Deep, pungent flavours take to the air, a curious combination of tar, saddle soap, pine resin and Brazil nuts. A lively note of pomelo, dry Riesling and a slice of burnt lemon peels. A very aromatic whisky, with lovely herbal notes and a hint of moist peat bog, while storm-churned sea spray soars overhead. With water, some chocolaty notes appear, along with a touch of engine oil.
The Manzanilla seems to have imparted some oiliness and mild doughy character, croutons and herbed sourdough bread dipped
in virgin olive oil.
Palate: Fresh, oily, ashy, full of aromatic herbs.
Opens with the bright tartness of Riesling accompanied by a spearmint note,
somewhat like Ricola Eucalyptus drops. The texture is lightly oily and the spirit
coats the tongue. Quickly develops towards an understated ashiness as the
peppery and assertive note of oregano grows and grows. A slightly drying
mouthfeel, followed by deep, pungent flavours that hurtle across the palate:
tar, soot, dark chocolate and a very distinctive nuttiness, like Brazil nuts or
hazelnut.
Finish: Medium, with light notes of lemon cake, a hint of sweetness, once again burnt lemon peels, lively prickly spice entertaining the back palate and a trailing ham-like smokiness. Plumes of fennel and pine billow up, leaving a lingering trail of carbolic soap, aniseed and leather.
With Water: A few drops of water could be added; the ABV would accept water. But then, there are a few changes. The nose senses a smouldering log fire and some gentle vanilla sweetness peeking out from behind. Earth and tomato ketchup. Going back after time reveals some chocolate, vinegar, sulphur, dirt and more earth. The smoke has been diminished somewhat and there is a hint of tobacco. On the palate, it’s more bitter, with dark chocolate and coffee overshadowing the peat. It also seems hotter and spicier, with cinnamon, cloves and red chilli appearing on the mid-palate. The smoky note of ash and burning log fires recede into the background. Going back there’s liquorice and vanilla. The mouthfeel has thinned further, but the finish remains reasonable.
Personally, I wouldn’t add water to this, but even undiluted it’s far from my favourite Ardbeg. It’s not as smoky as I’d like, but it’s also missing some of the flavours/notes I enjoy from Ardbeg, and there’s nothing replacing these notes that I find overly enamouring. It’s also not as good as some of the core range releases and I’d recommend you skip this and buy the 10 YO instead.
No comments:
Post a Comment