Ardbeg Anamorphic: New committee release presented

Petra Milde |

Specially treated cask heads and heavily charring of the casks for intense aromas

 

Ardbeg's Director for Distillation and Whisky Creation, Dr Bill Lumsden, has once again used his love of experimentation to create a new whisky release: The latest member of the Ardbeg family is the Ardbeg Anamorphic, which was presentes as a committee release, available at the distillery, online and at special retail shops.

Intense aromas because of specially pretreated casks

The Ardbeg Anamorphic gets its strong aroma from a special treatment of the heads of classic ex-bourbon casks: They were deeply scored to increase the surface and thus the contact between wood and whisky. In addition, the casks were heavily charred to the degree of "high mocha", reports the current press release from Moet Hennessy.

“Our high mocha toasting is what’s responsible for unlocking Ardbeg’s hidden 4D flavour. Aromas of earthy peatiness lead into an Ardbeg from an alternate universe. Bittersweet mocha slowly emerges, while fiery chili chocolate interlocks with floral chrysanthemum and jasmine. As soon as I tasted Anamorphic, I knew the Ardbeg Committee would find it intriguing as I did. As enigmas wrapped up in conundrums go, this whisky takes Ardbeg to a whole new level!" says Dr Bill Lumsden.

The Ardbeg Anamorphic was not chill-filtered and bottled uncoloured at 48.2 % ABV. The bottle is presented with a special label, whose graphic design refers to the tasting notes.

Official Tasting Notes for the Ardbeg Anamorphic

Aroma: Earthy, dusty and slightly biscuity on the nose, this is a most curious Ardbeg, almost from an alternative universe. The sooty/tarry notes are clear but restrained, and are balanced out by some silky vanilla. Water opens up a myriad of herbal and floral notes – smoked vetiver root, aniseed, fennel, chrysanthemum and jasmine, to name but a few.

Taste: The mouthfeel is peppery and warming and precedes an explosion of fiery, spicy flavors, chilli-flavored chocolate, bittersweet mocha, briar wood, birch tar, ground black pepper and smoked artichokes.

Finish: The sooty/tarry notes build up to a crescendo of rich, smoky flavors with an incredible lingering aftertaste of charcoal bitter almonds and molasses.

Images: Moet Hennessy

About the author Petra Milde

Petra Milde is a freelance author of books and specialist writing about spirits and food. She has been supporting the Whisky.de editorial team since 2015 and creates informative and entertaining articles in the news section.

Besides her writing work, she moderates tastings and can be met at spirits fairs, both behind the stands and in front of them, looking for new products and interesting people to talk to.

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