Ardbeg 15 years old Anthology - The Beithir's Tale - 70cl

Distilleria: Ardbeg
Edizione: Ardbeg The Beithir’s Tale
Provenienza: Scozia
Zona: Islay
Tipologia: Torbato
Grado Alcolico: 46 % vol.
Distillato: 2010
Imbottigliato: 2025
Età: 15 y.o.
Formato Bottiglia: 70 cL
Descrizione:
Light gold
Pungent , oily, and spicy. Rich molasses notes envelop creosote and smoky herbs. Roasted apples and raisins reveal a sweeter undertone. With a few drops of water, eucalyptus and menthol emerge, followed by hints of fennel and pine.
Surprisingly balanced. A crisp sensation introduces notes of peat smoke, coffee grounds, and blackcurrant. Sweet lemon balm intertwines with smoky mandarins, then gives way to a sharp, peaty finish.
Long and enveloping, with subtle hints of vanilla and smoked butter.

Ardbeg today presents a new limited edition of its Islay single malt: an aromatic and creamy whisky aged for 15 years, completing its series dedicated to rare and unusual malts. Named The Beithir's Tale, after a mythological serpent-like creature, it is the first Ardbeg whisky to be aged in designer ex-bourbon casks. These casks, designed to the Distillery's specifications, envelop Ardbeg's signature minty and resinous notes with rich flavors of smoky butter and vanilla.

Anthology is a trilogy of original single malts that combine Ardbeg's classic signature with experimental stocks, offering whiskies with sweeter, more delicate tones. Each expression is named after a legendary creature that, according to local tales, was sighted on the island of Islay. It is said—perhaps rightly, perhaps not—that the mischievous Beithir, a fiery monster, once crawled through Ardbeg's warehouses.

Many years ago, the distillery's whisky makers decided to set aside a batch of Ardbeg and let it age in designer ex-bourbon casks, eager to explore their effects on the spirit's smoky balance. Air-dried, rather than kiln-dried, then intensely toasted and lightly charred, these casks promised to impart fuller, creamier flavors. After 15 years of aging, the experiment reached a unique peak of sweetness and aromatics: The Beithir's Tale releases buttery notes, balanced by Ardbeg's characteristic smoky tones and the pungent balsamic notes of eucalyptus and pine.

The Beithir's Tale joins today The Harpy's Tale , a 13-year-old Ardbeg born from the fusion of the Distillery's traditional style and ageing in Sauternes sweet white wine casks, and The Unicorn's Tale , aged 14 years and the result of the union of whisky matured in bourbon casks and aged exclusively in Madeira wine casks.

Gillian Macdonald, Master Blender, said: “ At Ardbeg, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of flavour to discover new aromatic combinations. The hybrid whiskies in the Anthology Series represent an unprecedented exploration.

The Beithir's Tale, crafted with whisky aged in barrels specially designed for us, is the sweet and aromatic epilogue to our trilogy. Inspired by a mythical creature with a serpentine body, this 15-year-old whisky intertwines vanilla and smoked butter with classic peaty notes of fennel, eucalyptus, and pine. Just like the beithir, it is elegant and mysterious… with a surprising smoky and minty touch