It’s been an interesting few years for Ardbeg. The core range continues to grow with new insertions at the affordable end (e.g. the Wee Beastie) and interesting additions at the premium end such as the limited edition 19yo Traigh Bhan batches, the 25yo, and curiosities like Heavy Vapours and Fermutation. While Ardbeg will always have its loyal fans and the wonderful Ardbeg Committee, the brand has not been immune to the industry downturn in recent times, and it’s not gone unnoticed that many of the limited-edition releases – that would once have sold out in a matter of days – are now sticking around on the shelves. Indeed, several of the Committee Releases still remain on the Ardbeg website, a year or two after their release. So something special was needed. Enter Ardbeg Eureka….
Ardbeg Eureka is the result of direct market feedback. Its story has a bit in common with the Glenlivet “Guardians Chapter” release a decade or so ago, where the public was given three different whiskies to try, and the one that got the most votes went into larger scale production. In the case of Ardbeg Eureka, around 100 Ardbeg Committee members from 15 different countries were given the opportunity on Ardbeg Day, 2023, to taste five different versions of Ardbeg, all matured in different cask types. Each was compared back against the standard 10yo release, and participants were invited to discuss, debate, and document the merits of each sample and give the distillery their feedback. It seems a theme emerged: PX sherry casks! Further experimentation in the lab subsequently followed, and Ardbeg Eureka is the result – a marriage of PX sherry casks combined with roasted malt spirit matured in bourbon casks. And here’s the executive summary: It is, truly, a delicious whisky and it’s available at an incredible price.
I won’t mince words – Ardbeg Eureka is my favourite Ardbeg release in many years. It’s rich, it’s got dark fruits, it’s got black coffee notes, it’s got HUGE peat and smoke, and the finish has hints of toffee/caramel, and stewed fruits. The pedro ximinez sherry has melded superbly with the malt, and it’s insanely drinkable and more-ish. RRP obviously varies by market; here in Australia it has the extremely agreeable price of $145.
Keen watchers of the whisky world will have noticed that Ardbeg has gone heavy with the marketing and the hype on this one. Social media feeds have been stoked; teasers have been leaked; and lead samples were despatched. It is one of the few whiskies where I’m pleased to advise the whisky lives up to the hype. It’s a great dram. If you’ve been a little underwhelmed by recent Ardbeg Committee releases, or thought they were overpriced, this is a whisky to re-ignite your passion. But get in quick – Ardbeg Eureka has already sold out in many markets.
Cheers,
AD
PS…you might also like our other Ardbeg reviews and videos:
Ardbeg 8yo “For discussion” (link takes you to Whisky & Wisdom’s YouTube channel)
Ardbeg Twenty Something – 22 Years Old
