Ardbeg – Heavy Vapours Fèis Ìle 2023 (70cl, 46%)

An Islay single malt from Ardbeg, released for Fèis Ìle 2023 and bottled at 46% in a 70cl bottle. It continues the distillery's comic-style series that began with Planet Ardbeg. For the first time in Ardbeg's history it was distilled without a purifier. Dr Bill Lumsden experimented with the distillation to capture, mature and bottle the heavier vapours this produces. The colour is straw. The nose has rising smoke and some sweetness, with farmyard notes, old railway sleepers and tarred rope; water brings out dark chocolate cream and smoked artichoke. The palate is bittersweet, with coal dust, cardamom, peppermint, coffee grounds, eucalyptus and aniseed. The finish is long and strong.