Ardbeg Heavy Vapours Committee Release

Ardbeg Heavy Vapours Committee Release was created to celebrate Ardbeg Day 2023 and showcases one of the distillery’s most intriguing experiments. Led by Dr Bill Lumsden, this limited-edition release was produced with the purifier removed from the still, allowing heavier vapours to pass through during distillation and creating a dramatically different expression of Ardbeg’s iconic spirit.

Bottled at cask strength exclusively for the Ardbeg Committee, this bold Islay single malt amplifies the distillery’s smoky character while shifting the balance away from its usual fruit-forward profile. The result is an intensely powerful whisky filled with aromas of earthy tar, dark chocolate cream, and smoked artichoke.

On the palate, notes of bittersweet burnt wood, warming spice, coffee, eucalyptus, and dense peat smoke combine to create a deeply complex and uncompromising dram. Rich, smoky, and experimental, Heavy Vapours offers a fascinating alternative take on Ardbeg’s signature style.