ARDBEG HONOURS LOYAL FANBASE WITH âEUREKA MOMENTâ WHISKY
 < Islay Distillery marks Committeeâs 25th anniversary with ultimate membersâ bottling >
Ardbeg today celebrates 25 years of its loyal following, the Ardbeg Committee, with the ultimate Committee bottling. Inspired by â and exclusively for â that dedicated fanbase, Ardbeg Eureka! was conceived to capture the many taste preferences of the Committeeâs thousands of members in a single dram. In this limited editionâs paradoxically complex flavours of dark chocolate, cinnamon, briny seaweed and smoke, Ardbegâs whisky creators believe they have cracked it. Eureka!
A quarter-century ago, after Ardbeg was saved from the brink of extinction, a few insanely committed enthusiasts formed the Ardbeg Committee. Its mission was to prevent the doors of the Islay Distillery from ever closing again. Ever since, its membership (now 200,000-strong) have endlessly debated the ins and outs of the whisky they revere as The Ultimate Islay Single Malt.
Recognising the zeal of the Committeeâs deliberations, Ardbegâs whisky creators summoned a select group to a hidden corner of the Distillery on Ardbeg Day 2023, to take part in an experiment named Operation Smokescreen. At the event, 100 members from 15 different countries, a cross-section of Ardbegâs diverse, global fanbase, tasted and discussed five extreme (and secret) examples of Ardbeg. Then Dr Bill Lumsden, Ardbegâs Director of Whisky Creation, and Master Blender Gillian Macdonald took the findings back to their sensory laboratory, challenging themselves to craft a bottling representing the Committeeâs multi-faceted preferences.
After months of experimentation, the pair skilfully combined whisky aged in Pedro XimĂ©nez sherry casks with roasted malt spirit matured in bourbon casks in a uniquely complex dram. Salted crispy seaweed and sweet cinnamon jostle with dark-chocolate-coated raisins and burning embers, reflecting the Committeeâs eclectic tastes. Thrilled to have succeeded in their experiment, they named their creation Ardbeg Eureka!
Gillian said: âOperation Smokescreen was a brilliant opportunity to get inside the minds of the Ardbeg Committee â and has inspired our most bespoke Committee bottling yet. With its medley of flavours, from cherries and red apples to briny seaweed and bonfires, topped with cinnamon and raisin fudge, Ardbeg Eureka! is packed with a variety of flavours, inspired by our eclectic group of Committee membersâ tastes, who are united by their love of Ardbegâs smoky and fruity balance. There was a real eureka moment when, after countless experiments, Dr Bill and I landed upon the perfect recipe.â
Committee Chair and Ardbeg Distillery Visitor Centre Manager Jackie Thomson said: âThe Committee have been the lifeblood of Ardbeg for a quarter of a century â you wonât find a more passionate bunch of smoky malt lovers anywhere else. Ardbeg Eureka! is an exuberant reward for our membersâ dedication. SlĂ inte mhath to 25 years of the Ardbeg Committee!â
Ardbeg Eureka! is available exclusively to Committee members on Ardbeg.com from 27th February, RRP: ÂŁ72. For those intrepid enough to venture to the Distillery, a small number of bottles will be available to buy in person.
To play a part in the Distilleryâs future and keep up to date with all things Ardbeg, smoky malt whisky fans can join the Ardbeg Committee at ardbeg.com/en-gb/committee
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Ardbeg Eureka! Tasting Notes:
ABV: Â Â Â Â 52.2%
Colour: Amber
Aroma: Full and fruity on the nose with cherry and juicy red apple. Caramel infused coffee grounds and cocoa powder are softened by a subtle backdrop of heather bonfire and hand rolled sweet tobacco leaves. There are some herbal notes like cedar and fennel present in the distant background. With water, dark chocolate and walnut oil come through and more smoke emerges through the sweeter fruits. Like walking alongside a road thatâs being freshly tarred!
Taste: Â An explosion of sweet flavours like nut toffee brittle, raisin fudge and dark fruits (fig, damson and plump cherries) is balanced with a rockpool salinity. Dark chocolate coated raisins lead into chicory and sweet cinnamon spices alongside a curious drying sensation. The smoke builds up to a crescendo of sweet applewood and a medicinal iodine, burnt moss and ash.
Finish: The finish is long and chewy with sweet treacle toffee aniseed spice, coal tar soap and burning embers.
RRP: ÂŁ72
Ardbeg
Ardbeg prides itself on being The Ultimate Islay Single Malt Whisky. Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by connoisseurs around the world as the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts. Despite its smokiness, Ardbeg is renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as âthe peaty paradoxâ. During the 1980s and 1990s, Ardbeg suffered from an uncertain future, and it was not until the brand was purchased by The Glenmorangie Company in 1997 that the Distillery was saved from extinction. Since then, the Distillery has risen like a phoenix and today Ardbeg is well-established as a niche, cult malt, with a passionate following. Today, Ardbeg is one of the worldâs most highly awarded smoky single malt whiskies.Â
The Ardbeg Committee
The legacy of the whisky was safeguarded in 2000 by the formation of the Ardbeg Committee. The Committee is made up of thousands of Ardbeg followers worldwide who are keen to ensure that âthe doors of Ardbeg never close againâ. Today there are more than 200,000 members of the Ardbeg Committee in over 140 countries. Committee Members are regularly consulted on new bottlings and expressions and are offered exclusive Committee bottlings. Members also receive invitations to special gatherings, tastings and events. The Committee, chaired by Jackie Thomson, is free to join at ardbeg.com.
Awards
Ardbeg is one of the worldâs most highly awarded smoky single malt whiskies. Since 2008, Ardbeg has won more than 50 gold and double gold medals in key whisky competitions. Ardbeg has twice been awarded âWorldâs Best Single Maltâ at the World Whiskies Awards (2010, 2013). At the 2014 Global Icons of Whisky Awards, then Distillery Manager Mickey Heads was voted âDistillery Manager of the Yearâ. The following year, Ardbegâs expressions took the top three spots in Whisky Advocate magazineâs review of the best single malt Scotch whiskies under US$100. Meanwhile, both Ardbeg Corryvreckan and Ardbeg Uigeadail have been awarded gold medals at the 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Ardbeg Ten Years Old also won the Best Single Malt Scotch 10 Year Old at the International Whisky Competition 2019, while the Ardbeg Distillery won the Distillery of the Year 2019. In 2020, the International Whisky Competition awarded Ardbeg Corryvreckan first place for Best Single Malt Scotch, Best Single Malt Scotch (No Age Statement), Best cask Strength (Over 57% ABV), Best Peated Scotch and Best Islay Single Malt. Ardbeg Wee Beastie also earned first place for Best Single Malt Scotch Under 10 Year Old and The Ardbeg Distillery achieved another Distillery of the Year award. In 2021, Dr Bill Lumsden was awarded Master Distiller of the Year for the fifth time, and Ardbeg Uigeadail won World Whisky of the Year in the International Whisky Competition. In 2022, at the International Whisky Competition, Ardbeg was awarded The Distillery of the Year Award, while Ardbeg Ardcore won first place in Best New Scotch Release, Best Peated Single Malt and Best Islay Single Malt. In 2023, Ardbeg was awarded four Gold and eight Silver medals at the International Spirits Competition, Silver in the International Wine & Spirits Competition and Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Ardbeg 25 Years Old was named the Worldâs Best Scotch Whisky at the 2023 New York Wine Spirits Competition, and received a Platinum medal at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Operation Smokescreen
For Operation Smokescreen, a group of 100 superfans, from 15 different countries, were invited to the Distillery on Ardbeg Day in 2023. Led by Master Blender Gillian Macdonald, they assumed the role of the Whisky Creation Team for the day, tasting five extreme examples of Ardbeg, sharing their views and tasting notes as they went. Gillian and Dr Bill noted their preferences carefully and, taking inspiration from the dayâs findings, went on to create Ardbeg Eureka! Those who attended will be invited to a special live preview tasting of the whisky on 6 February 2025.
The Glenmorangie Company
The Company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers and marketers of Scotch whisky brands worldwide and is part of Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Company produces Glenmorangie Single Highland Malt whisky and Ardbeg Single Islay Malt.
Responsible Drinking
Ardbeg and The Glenmorangie Company advocate responsible drinking and suggest that drinkers savour Ardbeg whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.
