Ardbeg distillery announces Kiwis first in the world to taste 2014 limited edition

— Limited Edition whisky will be released on Ardbeg Day – 31st May 2014 —

Ardbeg, four-time winner of the World’s Best Scotch Whisky award, will launch its highly anticipated Limited Edition Ardbeg Auriverdes on Ardbeg Day, the distillery’s annual global celebration of all things Ardbeg. This year, Kiwis beat the rest of the world and will be first to taste the new single malt.

A distillery known for its cult following, Ardbeg invites New Zealand whisky enthusiasts to lead the worldwide celebration of Ardbeg Day on 31 May at Ardbeg embassies, House of Whiskey in Auckland, Regional Wines & Spirits in Wellington and Whisky Galore in Christchurch where Ardbeg Auriverdes will be exclusively available in very limited quantities.

The 2014 Limited Edition has been matured in American oak casks with specially toasted cask lids, tailor-made for this unique product. The new toasting technique gives the whisky a unique flavour profile with the lids producing a mocha coffee flavour at one end, flowing into creamy vanilla at the other – truly a dram of two halves!

“Kiwi Ardbeg fans will be thrilled to be first in the world to try the much anticipated Auriverdes. I have no doubt we will see a repeat of last year, with Embassies packed full of Ardbeg fans throughout the day,” says Rai Banbury, Ardbeg senior brand manager.

Distilled with equal measures of skill and passion, Ardbeg Auriverdes was named for the golden colour of the whiskey (auri) and the classic green Ardbeg bottle (verdes). Auriverdes is also the nickname of Brazil’s national football team, hosts of this year’s world cup. Taking inspiration from ‘peat football’ and Islay’s rich football heritage, New Zealand Ardbeg embassies and 120 other countries worldwide will kick off Ardbeg Day with football inspired events in-store.

Ardbeg Auriverdes follows the highly acclaimed Limited Edition Ardbeg Galileo, which scooped the ‘World’s Best Single Malt’ at the World Whisky Awards 2013.

Auriverdes celebrates the Islay Festival (the Feis Ile), of which Ardbeg Day marks the culmination, running from 23rd to 31st May 2014. It has become a key date in the calendar of malt whisky aficionados around the world, with thousands of them making the trip to the Island of Islay annually.

To find out more about Ardbeg Day, join the Kiwi celebration and become a committee member, visit:

http://www.ardbeg.com/ardbeg/members/public/index/register

Notes:

NZ Ardbeg Day Events on Saturday 31st May 2014:

• Whisky Galore, 66 Victoria Street, Central City, Christchurch. 11-5pm

• House of Whiskey, 50 Courthouse Lane, Auckland, CBD. 11-5pm

• Regional Wines & Spirits, 15 Ellice St, Mt Victoria, Wellington. 11-5pm 

Ardbeg Day:

Ardbeg Day will be celebrated at the distillery on Saturday 31 May 2014 and at participating Ardbeg Embassies around the world. For full details go to www.ardbeg.com  

Ardbeg Auriverdes Tasting Notes:

Aroma: Tarry and herbal notes with hints of mocha.

Taste: Coffee grounds pass to smoked root vegetables, while maple-cured bacon collides with hot-smoked salmon. 

Finish: A lingering, smoky vanilla note.

Ardbeg Auriverdes is non chill-filtered for extra texture and mouth feel.

 About Ardbeg:

Ardbeg prides itself on being the ‘Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky’. Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by whisky connoisseurs around the world as the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts. Despite this, Ardbeg is renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as ‘the peaty paradox’.