Ardbeg Announces Fon Fhòid, the Distillery’s Inaugural NFT Edition
Ardbeg Fon Fhòid (Scots Gaelic for ‘under the turf’), a limited edition Islay single malt that was partly matured underneath a peat bog, is being launched as the distillery’s inaugural NFT (non-fungible token) edition.
The idea to bury a barrel of whisky in a peat bog was conceived of by Dr. Bill Lumsden, Ardbeg’s Director of Whisky Creation, and in 2014, the distillery was able to bring that idea to life. Ardbeg’s team, led by then Distillery Manager Mickey Heads, took two casks of already mature whisky aged in second-fill bourbon casks and buried them in a peat bog near the distillery. Two years and 10 months later, the casks were unearthed from the peat bog and returned to the warehouse, where they were left to mature for a few more years before being married and bottled at 45.5% ABV.
Official tasting notes for Ardbeg Fon Fhòid follow:
Aroma: Pungent, waxy and salty with a curious, but distinctive, mossy note. This is then followed by a hint of molasses or sugarcane. There is also a background musty/earthy note, like walking into a damp whisky warehouse. A splash of water releases some more herbal notes, almost like asparagus or artichoke. Next comes a waxy, oily fragrance, reminiscent of a freshly waxed jacket along with a distinctive soapy aroma.
Taste: A slightly drying mouthfeel is followed by some savoury notes, like grilled artichoke and ground pepper, along with a suggestion of rye bread. The classic Ardbeg smokiness is subdued, but always in the background, coming across as tar-coated fennel.
Finish: Bold and slightly drying, with a distinctive bacon saltiness.
Ardbeg Fon Fhòid is limited to 456 bottles to be sold as NFTs exclusively on BlockBar.com, an NFT marketplace for luxury wines and spirits. Ardbeg Fon Fhòid goes on sale on April 19th, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. EST for 1 ETH (approximately $3,030 USD at the time of writing) and can be purchased via Ethereum or fiat.
Upon purchase of the NFT, the cryptographic version will be held securely by BlockBar.com, with a record of authenticity held on the blockchain as a digital certificate of ownership. Each NFT will represent an authentic, physical 70 cL bottle of Ardbeg Fon Fhòid, available to be redeemed from BlockBar’s secure storage facility beginning on December 1st, 2022. The buyer may also choose to safely trade its NFT version within the BlockBar.com marketplace, keep it in their virtual bar, or gift the NFT through BlockBar’s new gifting platform.
Photo credit: Ardbeg.
Source: Ardbeg.