Ardbeg – Smokiverse (70cl, 48.3%)

Ardbeg – Smokiverse is a whisky from Ardbeg (Islay). Bottled at 48.3% ABV, 70cl. Since its establishment in 1815, The Ardbeg distillery has been on a tumultuous rollercoaster ride of ownership changes, closures, and reopening. Stability was only achieved relatively recently, when the ailing distillery was purchased in 1997 by industry giants, Glenmorangie. The subsequent years have seen the distillery’s popularity swell, with fans enticed by the signature style of tarry, sooty smoke, balanced against citric sweetness and an oily mouthfeel. While Ardbeg still retains its distinctive personality, it has definitely been influenced by Glenmorangie’s propensity for experimenting with cask finishing, and (dare we say it)NAS expressions. Smokiverse: Bottled in celebration of 25 years of The Ardbeg Committee, this experimental malt makes use of High Gravity Mashing. This process amps up the sugar in the wort, resulting in a higher gravity measurement than the standard mash. Said to take your palate into orbit with peaty notes colliding with juicy, tropical fruits, before sinking into the rich depths of muscovado sugar.