Ardbeg Fermutation Announced
Ardbeg has announced the launch of Ardbeg Fermutation, a Committee-only limited edition 13 year old peated single malt that was born from the distillery’s longest fermentation ever.
As the story goes, “In November 2007, the Ardbeg Distillery was about to face one of its greatest challenges. A broken boiler threatened the very existence of six washbacks full of precious liquid. The team tried everything they could to get the boiler going, but to no avail. Ever the optimist, Dr. Bill (Ardbeg’s Director of Distilling and Whisky Creation) saw this conundrum as an opportunity to experiment. He quickly instructed the Distillery folk to throw open the washback lids and expose the contents to the Islay air. Thus began an epic three week-long fermentation – the longest in Ardbeg’s history – which eventually gave rise to a wild, zingy and vibrant spirit.”
“I’ve always wanted to experiment with longer fermentations, so I think an unintentional boiler breakdown was the best thing that could have happened!” said Dr. Bill Lumsden. “For context, most Ardbeg is only fermented for 72 hours, making three weeks unchartered territory for us.”
Matured in 1st fill and refill ex-bourbon casks, Ardbeg Fermutation is described as having aromas of “mixed herbs, cedar wood, smoked orange, grapefruit, and lots of menthol and peppermint.” Adding water brings forth aromas of “diesel oil, tar, fresh paint, aniseed, freshly cut hay, and a hint of something savory, like yeast extract or bread dough.” On the palate, it has a “lively, vibrant, sharp, ‘zingy’ texture, leading into very firm, distinctive flavors – malty/biscuit tones, powerful aniseed, cardamom, antiseptic lozenge, sweet mint toffee, and cigar ash.” It concludes with a “lingering, salty, firm aftertaste of mint, tar, oak tannin and leather” on the finish.
Ardbeg Fermutation Committee Edition is bottled NCF (non-chill filtered) at 49.4% ABV and will be available beginning in February at a suggested retail price of $199.
Photo credit: Ardbeg.
Source: Ardbeg.