Ardbeg Pushes the Boundaries with Three Rare Single Malt Releases”

From the wild, windswept shores of Islay comes a smoky symphony that has captivated whisky lovers for generations. Founded in 1815, Ardbeg is renowned for producing some of the peatiest, most characterful single malts in the world. With a heritage rooted in tradition yet driven by fearless innovation, the distillery has become a beacon for collectors, connoisseurs, and whisky enthusiasts globally.

This season, Ardbeg unveils an extraordinary trio of limited-edition single malts, now exclusively available at Hank’soutlets nationwide and via the Grab app.

This limited edition includes Ardbeg’s first whisky crafted using a pioneering high-gravity mash, a technique that reduces water during mashing to intensify flavour-active esters, resulting in a distinctly vibrant, tropical and fruit-forward spirit. Part of Ardbeg’s esteemed Maison portfolio, these releases celebrate not only craftsmanship and collectability, but also the distillery’s fearless spirit of experimentation one that continues to redefine the boundaries of peated whisky.

A Milestone Worth Raising a Dram To

Held annually on the final Saturday of Fèis Ìle, the legendary Festival of Music and Malt, Ardbeg Day is a global celebration of all things smoky and spectacular. In 2025, the occasion marks a particularly meaningful milestone: 25 years of the Ardbeg Committee, the brand’s devoted worldwide following, alongside the launch of a boundary-pushing new expression—Ardbeg Smokiverse.

For collectors and connoisseurs alike, this year’s releases signal an important chapter in Ardbeg’s modern story.

A Milestone Worth Raising a Dram To

Held annually on the final Saturday of Fèis Ìle, the legendary Festival of Music and Malt—Ardbeg Day is a global celebration of all things smoky and spectacular. In 2025, the occasion marks a particularly meaningful milestone: 25 years of the Ardbeg Committee, the brand’s devoted worldwide following, alongside the launch of a boundary-pushing new expression—Ardbeg Smokiverse.

For collectors and connoisseurs alike, this year’s releases signal an important chapter in Ardbeg’s modern story.

Ardbeg Smokiverse: A New Dimension of Peat

Leading the charge is Ardbeg Smokiverse, the distillery’s first whisky crafted using an innovative high-gravity mash technique. By reducing the amount of water during the mashing process where malted barley is converted into fermentable sugars. Ardbeg’s Whisky Creation Team intensified flavour-active acetate esters, unlocking a fruitier, more tropical spirit.

Aged in bourbon casks, Smokiverse reveals layers of muscovado sugar, ripe barley, and toasted sourdough bread. On the palate, vibrant tropical fruits burst forward before settling into Ardbeg’s unmistakable sweet peat smoke.

Tasting Notes – Ardbeg Smokiverse
ABV: 48.3%
Colour: Bright Gold
Aroma: A burst of fruity, ester notes, almost like smoked bubblegum, along with aromas of ripening barley and toasted sourdough bread. With water, sweet aromatic peat smoke emerges, reminiscent of gently smoked tropical fruits.
Taste: Rich, creamy texture followed by sharp, sooty, and spicy notes of tar, creosote, aniseed, and clove, tempered with muscovado sugar, sweet oak, and leather.
Finish: Earthy peat moss, bonfire embers, and charcoal.
RRP: RM609.90

The result is a whisky that feels both futuristic and deeply rooted in tradition classic Islay power refracted through a brighter, fruit-driven lens.

Ardbeg Anthology: The Beithir’s Tale (15 Years Old)

Closing the curtain on the acclaimed Anthology trilogy is The Beithir’s Tale, a 15-year-old expression inspired by a mythical serpentine creature said to haunt Islay’s folklore. This final chapter—following The Harpy’s Tale and The Unicorn’s Tale represents Ardbeg’s first whisky matured in bespoke designer bourbon casks.

Air-seasoned rather than kiln-dried, heavily toasted and lightly charred, these custom casks were designed to coax out fuller, creamier flavours while preserving Ardbeg’s smoky DNA.

ABV: 46%
Colour: Pale Straw

Aroma: Pungent, oily and spicy, with rich treacle wrapped around creosote and smoked herbs. Toasted apples and raisins reveal a sweeter undercurrent. A splash of water unlocks eucalyptus and menthol, with fennel and pine trailing behind.

Taste: Astoundingly balanced. A sizzling mouthfeel leads into peat smoke, coffee grounds and currants. Sweet lemon balm entwines with smoked mandarins, finishing with a sharp, smoky tang.

Finish: Long and meandering, with subtle hints of vanilla and smoked butter.

RRP: RM809.90

Recently awarded Spirit Gold Outstanding 2025 (98 points) at the International Wine & Spirits Competition and a gold medal at the International Spirits Challenge, The Beithir’s Tale is a fittingly triumphant finale.

Ardbeg 19 Years Old – Traigh Bhan Batch 7

For seven years, Ardbeg has released an annual small-batch edition of its impossibly balanced 19-year-old Traigh Bhan (pronounced “Tri-Van”), inspired by Islay’s famed Singing Sands beach. Batch 7 marks the final chapter of this rare and ever-evolving dram.

Matured in a combination of bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks with a higher proportion of first-fill sherry casks than ever before Batch 7 leans elegantly into a richer, darker profile. Bottled at a heightened 50.3% ABV, it amplifies both structure and intensity.

ABV: 50.3%
Colour: Deep Gold

Aroma: Powerful and intense, with coal dust and tar softened by peppermint and eucalyptus. A zesty lemon brightness brings refreshing lift.

Taste: A citrus-forward burst of lemon rind and bergamot gives way to medicinal smoke. Warming spices of ginger and cumin emerge, followed by drying cocoa powder and espresso.

Finish: Long and resonant, with salted toffee, charred wood, tar and warming spices lingering gracefully.

RRP: RM1,559.90

Also Available: Traigh Bhan Batch 6

For those who appreciate nuance within power, Batch 6 is also available at Hank’s and select retailers.

ABV: 46.2%
Colour: Bright Gold

Aroma: A curious note of olive oil greets the nose, alongside tar, soot, chocolate ginger and freshly mown grass. With water, fennel, peppermint and eucalyptus come to the fore.

Taste: Slightly oily with an intense minty sweetness, toasted bread, creosote and even a hint of smoked pineapple. Dark chocolate, peppermint creams and bonfire embers deepen the experience.

Finish: Lingering impressions of coffee grounds and liquorice.

RRP: RM1,559.90

 

A Collector’s Moment

Together, these expressions showcase Ardbeg’s uncompromising philosophy from experimental production techniques like high-gravity mashing to bespoke cask design and carefully curated annual batches. Each bottle is a study in contrast: smoke and sweetness, tradition and innovation, intensity and balance.

Now available across 50 Hank’s outlets nationwide and on the Grab app, the collection presents a rare opportunity for Malaysian collectors and smoky-malt enthusiasts to secure some of Islay’s most distinctive modern releases.

In the world of peated single malts, few names command such devotion. And with this latest unveiling, Ardbeg proves once again that even after centuries of whisky-making, there are still new frontiers to explore one dram at a time.

For more information, visit www.ardbeg.com or follow Instagram (@ardbeg).