Ardbeg has gotten to rather extreme lengths to recreate the heart of a long lost expression - the first Ardbeg Corryvreckan Limited Edition.

Corryvreckan is the name of a famous whirlpool that lies in the north of Islay, and has been the subject of many an Islay lore. Drawing on the legend of Corryvreckan, Ardbeg has kept an expression with the same name in its core range, that has today become a household Ardbeg staple.

The Corryvreckan, north of Islay.

Yet, there was a time before the Corryvreckan had made its way into the Ardbeg core range, there was the Corryvreckan Limited Edition, released in 2008. At the heart of which is said to be a spirit that's matured heavily in ultra active toasted French oak casks - precisely what gave the expression its high regard.

While the Corryvreckan Limited Edition is long gone, Ardbeg tells us that a handful of those historic casks have been tucked away - and now they'll re-emerge as Ardbeg The Abyss.

"This rich and unusually dark Ardbeg draws drinkers deep into swirls of toasted marshmallows and tea leaves, while notes of dark chocolate, pecan, leather and creosote circle nearby."

For the new Ardbeg The Abyss, the iconic Islay distillery has collaborated with comic book artist Tradd Moore who has rendered the legend of the Corryvreckan into artwork that will be part of the expression's gift display set in the form of a comic book.

"Tradd’s comic re-imagines the tale of the Corryvreckan whirlpool, drawing the reader into another dimension to discover the fate of an enigmatic Lone Figure. Like the whisky itself, his fantastical artwork draws us into a parallel world where sea, space and spirit collide!"

Official Tasting Notes

Colour: Deep Autumn Sunset

Aroma: Rich, pungent and aromatic, but mellow, deep and gentle at the same time. Aromas of toasting marshmallows, aromatic tea leaves, roasted chestnut and baking sourdough bread draw you in, with something altogether zestier circling nearby, like lemon balsam. There is a lingering, background sweetness, like demerara sugar, and then a whiff of antique leather. A splash of water opens up the bouquet to reveal more herbal top notes, with a whisper of lemon sherbet and pine resin.

Taste: A wonderfully mellow mouthfeel with a hint of spiciness, which takes a dramatic turn when bold new flavours enter: dark chocolate, pecan nut toffee, old leather, clove, ginger and a touch of treacle and creosote. The smoke is always there, beautifully entwined with the oak tannins.

Finish: On the aftertaste, enticing hints of baked apple, aniseed and oak.

The new Ardbeg The Abyss is aged 34 years old, aged in highly active toasted French Oak, and was bottled on 25th March 2024 at 48.4% ABV. A total of 400 bottles will be released, priced at €25,000 (US$ 27,164). The Abyss will also come in a special casing that is inspired by the Corryvreckan whirlpool, featuring port holes, gauges and a special engineered locking mechanism that evokes "space-capsule-meets-diving-chamber".

And if the Ardbeg The Abyss feels out of reach, fret not, Ardbeg will also be releasing a series of the standard Corryvreckan expression but with a special edition label art by Tradd Moore that commemorates the release of The Abyss. Each of the four labels will feature different scenes of Islay as seen through the eyes of Moore. These will be exclusively sold at the Ardbeg Distillery Visitor Centre.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team