Ardbeg Auriverdes A Game Of Two Halves

It's that time of year again where whisky lovers the world over are eagerly anticipating the yearly Ardbeg Limited Edition release that coincides with Ardbeg Day, the global celebration of all things alcoholic, liquid and with Ardbeg stamped on the bottle! This years release, entitled Ardbeg Auirverdes, is on the 31st May and it seems the distillery have been caught up in World Cup fever.

Unless you have been living in a cave the last few years then you will know that this years World Cup is being held in Brazil (clearly the best conditions for the England team ... ). It just so happens that Brazil's very successful national team's nickname is Auriverdes, auri for gold / yellow and verde for green. This handily works equally well for Ardbeg with their delicious golden liquid and trademark green bottle. Not one to be outdone by something as insignificant as the World Cup, Ardbeg are also running their own Peat Football Tournament this Summer.

The whisky follows the hugely popular 2013 Galileo release which won the title of 'World's Best Single Malt' so expectations should be high for Auriverdes. The liquid has been matured in American oak casks with specially toasted cask lids which were made specifically for this release. The toasting technique has given the whisky a distinctive flavour profile with the lids producing a mocha coffee flavour at one end, flowing into creamy vanilla at the other. This is certainly no accident as Ardbeg are pitching Auriverdes (which is bottled at 49.9%) as a dram of two halves (yes, more football focused marketing!).

Official Ardbeg Auriverdes Tasting Notes
Nose: Tarry and herbal notes with hints of mocha.
Palate: Coffee grounds pass to smoked root vegetables, while maple-cured bacon collides with hot-smoked  salmon.
Finish: A lingering, smoky vanilla note.

As an Ardbeg Embassy store, we will have Auriverdes for sale on Saturday the 31st March. It will only be available for sale to Ardbeg Committee Members who come into the store on that date (not online, sorry!). It is vital that you bring your membership number with you on the day, no excuses!

Any surplus bottles that are remaining after the weekend will go general sale on Monday 2nd June. It is possible to contact us directly and have your name placed onto a reserve list.