Each May, to mark Ardbeg Day, the Ardbeg distillery releases a special expression of their range of peat-heavy and smoke-infused Scottish whiskies. The 2025 expression celebrates Islay’s iconic Fèis Ìle with the release of ‘Smokiverse’.
For Fèis Ìle, this represents ten days at the end of May each year when whisky and Islay fans gather to celebrate the island – its culture, spirit, and whisky. Islay is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.
The whisky is a bold new expression that uses experimental distilling. The whisky was crafted using a high gravity mash technique.
With high gravity mashing this technique that intensifies fermentation by using more grain and less water, resulting in a whisky with a more pronounced fruitiness. Specifically, the process magnifies the intensity of flavour-active compounds, known as acetate esters, compared to a standard mash. The spirit was matured in ex-bourbon barrels.
Moreover, the “gravity” part elates to the overall density of the wort, which contains a higher intensity of certain flavour-bearing esters. Wort refers to the sweet infusion of ground malt or other grain before fermentation, used to produce beer and distilled malt liquors.
Higher gravity and more concentrated sugars mean a higher potential alcohol by volume in the wash. Wash usually comes out around 5-8%, but with a higher gravity start that might end up 8-12% instead. This will alter how fermentation proceeds, altering how the yeast behaves. The process will also change the dynamics of the distillation, giving higher proof low wines and potentially the final spirit.
Ardbeg’s Whisky Creation Team. led by Dr. Bill Lumsden, began experimenting some years ago with the mashing process.
Lumsden explains: “Ardbeg Smokiverse takes our single malt’s classic peaty character to a new frontier of flavour. Upon first sip, you can expect a vibrant burst of fruity, ester notes, rather like smoked bubblegum, along with aromas of barley. The peaty notes collide with juicy, tropical fruits, before sinking into a rich depth of muscovado sugar.”
The distillery describes the limited-edition dram as a liquid is a tribute to Ardbeg’s adventurous spirit.
In terms of the tasting experience:
Appearance: A vibrant, bright gold.
The ‘nose’: Expect smoke on the nose complemented by sweet undertones and layers of herbaceous greenery.
First taste: A palate of rich interplay between classic Ardbeg peat smoke with a twist of unexpected fruity brightness, and spiced malt. A medicinal and acrid peat smoke is prominent.
The finish: This is long and lingering, with waves of smoke, pepper, and earthy sweetness that ebbs and flows. There are also notes of muscovado sugar, creosote, tropical fruits, aniseed and clove. The final taste is one of a distinct oaky dryness.
The Ardbeg distillery is located on the southern coast of the Hebridean island of Islay. It was founded in 1815 by John MacDougall. It produces 2.4 million litres per year and the distillery is currently part of the Moet Hennessy group.
The whisky is 48.3% alcohol by volume and it retails for around $120 per bottle. The spirit is non-chill filtered and of natural colour.
This is a more expensive, but equally enjoyable, whisky, one that extenuates a sweet, confected, malty and smoky liquid replete with some lovely fruity notes.
