Another Ardbeg Day release arrives, bottled once and never to be repeated. This time around, it's created with roasted black malt - a first for Ardbeg. Incinerated to within an inch of its life, the malt defines the profile contributing charcoal and sweet smoke, aniseed and dark chocolate for a memorable Islay experience. Trumping past releases, Ardbeg's marketing department has gone to considerable lengths for the new edition, this time focusing on the brand’s alleged punk past, with Islay’s main port, Port Ellen, going by the nickname ‘Punk Ellen’ in the 1970s. (There was even a punk posse led by the local hotelier's daughter, which reached as many as three at the height of its notoriety). Meanwhile, Ardbeg’s head of distilling and whisky creation, Dr. Bill Lumsden, describes the flavour as being “like biting on a spiky ball.” Collectors will love it, with the story and presentation being a hook for followers of the brand. The limited edition main release has landed (as opposed to the even more limited Committee Release) and as is always the case, it comes bottled at 46% and non chill filtered. The first sniffs bring young distillate to the fore, so from a fresh bottle give this a good ten minutes and you'll get a moderate lift of menthol-infused peat that also hints at anise, fennel and rye bread receding into sweeter smoke and vanilla malt with further air contact. It's medium bodied and sweetly peaty (think Caol Ila); hints of Elastoplast mingle with chocolate sponge cake and sprinklings of pepper; the finish is ashy and warming with citrus tang lacing late malt sweetness. Overall, in spite of the presentation and marketing, this is much more civilised and approachable than you might expect. Notes from the producers... Spicy and savoury, Ardcore grips the senses with waves of marmite, burnt toast, chicory charcoal and infused coffee grounds making for a mosh pit in the glass. Like a safety pin through the septum, a classic Ardbeg herbal top note is present, while swirling, smoky bonfire and molasses loiter backstage. TASTE: A jaw dropping spicy and fiery mouthfeel leads to an explosion of rich, smoky flavours – cocoa powder, dark chocolate, peanut brittle toffee, smoked lime and a suggestion of soot and bonfire embers all pogo in unison on the palate. Amped up aniseed and malty biscuit elbow their way to the fore, punkturing taste buds. FINISH: In an altogether sweeter finish, long, lingering notes of treacle toffee, soot and smoke make for an anarchic, but delicious, aftertaste.

Ardbeg's latest annual offering comes with a curious title that's due to a production modification. Head of Whisky Creation, Bill Lumsden removed the purifier, which typically catches the heaviest vapours from the distillation process. The purifier is also responsible for Ardbeg’s balance between extreme peat and floral fruitiness. The resulting whisky is "all peat". In fact, Ardbeg says that it's their most full-blown expression ever with an intensity of flavour that's unmatched. A spokesperson for the brand describes the flavour profile as, "Defined by a distinctive pungent earthiness, aromatic clouds of dark chocolate, a billow of aniseed and cinnamon, and a lingering tang of sharp peppermint." Dramface.com add "According to an interview Lumsden participated in for WhiskyCast, the experiment which gave birth to this year’s release was conducted 12 years ago. Even allowing for time of year and the time taken to dump casks, blend, package and distribute, it’s safe to assume this bottling is at least 11 years old, given that Lumsden claims the experiment was only ever conducted in one batch." We've just received our allocation. The whisky's unusual conception is brought to life with accompanying graphics created by celebrated comic artist and illustrator, Dilraj Mann. The nose is slightly reticent while the flavour profile leans towards smokey dark chocolate, oily malt, chimney soot and white pepper followed by a dried herbal quality. The aftertaste is ashy, drying, medium long and vaguely fruity in a mezcal kind of way. Like last year's Ardbeg Day release (Ardcore), Heavy Vapours is not quite as intense or complex as anticipated, although it does taste slightly more mature and feels like the texture is amplified, particularly at the finish where cured meats and a salt'n'pepper tang recall middle-weight Caol Ilas. In a word, more elegant than "extreme". 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

Product Information: Each year, peat enthusiasts, or as we like to call them "peatheads," around the world eagerly anticipate Ardbeg Day. In 2023, Planet Ardbeg Day was celebrated with new release Ardbeg Heavy Vapours. This whisky is produced by bypassing their legendary purifier – the one responsible for Ardbeg’s signature balance producing a heavier version of Ardbeg's favourite Islay malt. Imagine untamed darker flavours and notes, gathering and filling the senses. It is an ominous dram of dramatic, aromatic pungency. Heavy Vapours will rise. If those heady notes don't get you excited this will. Introducing the 2023 Ardbeg Day T-shirt. This T-Shirt is brandished with the words 'Rise of the Heavy Vapours' and is extremely limited. Be quick and snap them up before they disappear. This graphic tee is a high quality transfer on the Sol's Imperial 11500 shirt, made of 100% cotton. SOL'S Imperial has become the reference 190 t-shirt in Europe thanks to its finishing, quality, colours, and unisex fit. Maker: Ardbeg is a renowned and revered name in the world of Scotch whisky. Situated on the remote Isle of Islay off the west coast of Scotland, Ardbeg Distillery has been producing exceptional single malt whiskies since 1815. Known for its distinctive peaty and smoky flavour profile, Ardbeg whiskies have gained a loyal following among whisky enthusiasts worldwide. The small, remote Scottish island of Islay (pronounced 'eye-lah') is an antique land. A wild and untamed place, where Celtic monks found refuge from raiding Norsemen and early distillers smuggled their illicit "aquavitae" at Ardbeg's rugged rocky cove. Abundant soft water, fertile soil and acres of precious peat makes this island a place of pilgrimage for the single malt whisky faithful. And none more so than our very own Ardbeg, unquestionably the greatest distillery on Earth. For over 200 years, Ardbeg has been made on Islay. Some people travel to Ardbeg along the winding road from Port Ellen. Others follow their nose, their destiny or the advice of a good friend. The Distillery: Ardbeg's distillation process involves two stages to produce a high-quality spirit. The first distillation in the wash still results in "low wines" at about 24% alcohol. The second distillation in the spirit still raises the alcohol content to 76%, with initial impurities (foreshots) removed and only the purest spirit, starting the Spirit Cut, is selected for maturation. This spirit is collected until it reaches 62.5% alcohol, with any remaining impurities sent back for further distillation. Ardbeg's whisky matures in a mix of casks, including ex-Bourbon barrels, Sherry Butts, and French Oak, which contribute to its distinct salty, iodine character due to its coastal location.