Ardbeg’s The Abyss
Whisky from the western Scottish island of Islay is a examine within the style of place providing a taste profile inflected with the mixture of sea air and smoky notes from hand-cut peat—a liquid snapshot of terroir that nobody can emulate. Positive, you possibly can toast a barrel or end a spirit in a port cask, even use a single grain malt grown in Scotland and a warehouse for ageing close to the ocean, however you’ll by no means get the distinctive peat notes that symbolize hundreds of years of time packed into Islay’s boggy soil. This month Ardbeg provides yet one more layer to the distinctive Islay terroir with the discharge of The Abyss, a whisky born of a rare, unrepeatable 34-year ageing course of. The identify is a nod to the legendary Corryvreckan whirlpool which lies a bit north of Islay but it surely’s extra precisely a reference to the whisky’s profound, infinite depth of taste. The Abyss is really not like any whisky that Ardbeg has ever launched—and this from a model that’s legendary for its artistic and daring takes on ageing and expression.
The expression comes enclosed in a genuinely cool space-age trying silver capsule that calls to thoughts a classic diver’s helmet together with a restricted version graphic novel from acclaimed Marvel and DC comedian artist Tradd Moore. Moore’s vivid illustrations inform the story of Viking prince Breacan who is claimed to have anchored his ship within the whirlpool for 3 days and nights to win the hand of the Lord of the Isles’ daughter, but was in the end misplaced to its watery depths. If our truthful prince had the Ardbeg Abyss on board, he most actually would have loved his ultimate days.
Certainly, the closely toasted French oak casks plus 34 years of time equal one of many model’s most extraordinary choices. Jackie Thomson, Ardbeg Committee Chair and Distillery Customer Centre Supervisor, explains the extraordinary nature of the casks: “These ‘ultra-active’ casks had been distinctive in that they’d undergone an uncommon rejuvenation course of after initially holding French wine. A course of that concerned an intense toasting course of that rendered them exceptionally highly effective of their capacity to impart taste and colour.”
Your complete enterprise is taken into account uncommon and unrepeatable as a result of they’re the final of the 1989 inventory which included a handful of casks that Dr. Invoice Lumsden, director of whisky creation, sourced for the unique 2008 Corryvreckan Committee Reserve bottling. The provider now not makes them. Doing the maths right here one concludes that along with a uncommon spirit aged 34 years you even have never-to-be-seen-again ultra-active casks; uncommon upon uncommon. The tasting notes inform the story finest although—suppose decadent s’mores with wealthy chewy notes of darkish chocolate, caramelized marshmallows, pecan nuts and leather-based—accented with the distinct Islay peaty be aware.
The restricted bottling options 400 numbered bottles, and at $25,000 per every it actually is amongst one in every of Ardbeg’s costliest releases—Ardbeg has launched costlier previous and uncommon expressions up to now, together with The Rollercoaster (launched final yr).
When you miss your likelihood to personal one of many 400 bottles, however need to style part of the Abyss –which has its roots in Corryvreckan, take coronary heart. The distillery launched 1000 restricted version bottles of core vary Ardbeg Corryvreckan full with a superb label design by Tradd Moore (4 particular person designs might be accessible, every taken from a body featured in The Abyss’ graphic novel). Obtainable solely from the Distillery Customer Centre on Islay.
The Abyss might be accessible by way of the distillery’s web site, on the customer heart on Islay, and the Moët Hennessy Non-public Shopper channel worldwide.
The Abyss