Ardbeg Blaaack marks 20 years of brand’s committee
Moët Hennessy has bottled a Pinot Noir cask-matured Ardbeg single malt to celebrate Ardbeg Day and 20 years of the Ardbeg Committee.
The Pinot Noir casks used to mature Ardbeg Blaaack were sourced from New Zealand. The limited edition Scotch will be launched on Ardbeg Day, an annual celebration that will be held on 30 May 2020, the final Saturday of the Fèis Ìle music and whisky festival on Islay. The release will also mark 20 years since the Ardbeg Committee was established on 1 January 2000. Today, the committee comprises more than 100,000 Ardbeg followers worldwide. Members are often consulted on new whiskies and offered exclusive committee bottlings. Dr Bill Lumsden, Ardbeg director of whisky creation, said: “Ardbeg Blaaack knits together velvety summer fruit pudding and bitter cherry, with a deeper edge of soot and Ardbeg’s hallmark smoke. It’s the perfect dram for toasting our legendary committee.” Bottled at 46% ABV, Ardbeg Blaaack will retail for RRP £94 (US$122) per bottle. Tasting notes include fruit pudding, cedar wood, cigar box, truffles and smoky jam tart on the nose. The palate is said to have flavours of aniseed, soot, cherries, strawberries, apricots and pears, leading to pastry, dark chocolate, coffee and almonds. Mickley Heads, Ardbeg distillery manager, said: “In every corner of every far-flung place, you’ll find an Ardbeg Committee member. “For 20 years they’ve been proudly demonstrating their black sheep behaviour. Ardbeg Blaaack is the best possible way to pay tribute to our tearaway fans who, like us, are shorn to be wild.”
