Ardbeg – Smokiverse (70cl, 48.3%)

Ardbeg Smokiverse is the festival bottling for Feis Ile 2025, an Islay single malt released as a limited edition at 48.3% in a 70cl bottle. For this release the distillery experimented with high gravity mashing, using more grain and less water to give more sugar and a fruitier character. The nose is wide-ranging, with peat, barley, bacon, sourdough bread, chewing gum, black pepper, sea salt, honey, nuts and tropical fruit. The palate is creamy and begins smoky, followed by muscovado sugar, tropical fruit, aniseed, clove, citrus and vanilla. The finish is medium long, led by peat smoke, wood and fruit.