Ardbeg Ardcore Ballot

Islay's annual festival of malt and music, Fèis Ìle, begins this week, and with it comes Ardbeg Day and the annual limited release Ardbeg whisky to mark the occasion.

In what has become our tried and trusted method for equitable distribution of limited releases, we are running a ballot again this year. (If this is your first time encountering our ballot system, please scroll down to the bottom for more information.)

THE WHISKY

This year Ardbeg Day falls on Saturday, 4 June and along with it comes this year's limited release Ardbeg Ardcore. Ardcore draws inspiration from the Islands punk past, with the main port, Port Ellen, allegedly going by the nickname ‘Punk Ellen’ in the 1970s.

Crafted with heavily roasted malt, also known as black malt, which is a first for the distillery. (The same type is used at Ardbeg's sister distillery Glenmorangie for their Signet expression). Unfortunately, no mention at all this year of the type of casks used for maturation, so we can assume ex-American oak, likely first and second-fill.

What you are likely to notice the most from the above is the new increased retail pricing. For the last few years, the pricing for the Ardbeg Day releases in SA have been less than the equivalent pricing in the UK and USA. This year, that seems to have been equalised, with the recommended retail price of R2,500, which pretty much matches expected retail pricing of £125 in the UK.

OFFICIAL TASTING NOTES

Nose: Showing spicyness, Ardcore celebrates a veritable moshpit in the glass with nuances of marmite, charred toast and black chicory coffee. Like a safety pin in the nose, the typical Ardbeg herbal notes are present, while smoky notes of blazing campfire and molasses buzz in the background.

Palate: A stunningly spicy and fiery taste ignites with more rich and smoky flavours. Cocoa powder, dark chocolate, peanut toffee, smoked lime and hints of soot and campfire embers in unison. Anise and malt biscuits come to the fore and rivet through all taste buds.

Finish: All in all a sweet finish. Long-lasting notes of toffee, soot and smoke provide an anarchic, exquisite aftertaste.

ENTRY FORM

Please enter your details below in order to stand a chance to be able to purchase a bottle of Ardbeg Ardcore. We will randomly draw as many customers as we have bottles available, with each successful customer receiving an email which will enable the purchase of a single bottle.

Terms & Conditions

• Only email addresses submitted that are subscribed to our newsletter will be eligible
• By entering this ballot you agree to receive future communication from WhiskyBrother&Co
• The ballot will close for entries on Tuesday 31st May at midnight
• Only ballot winners will be contacted (if you do not receive an email from us with instructions to purchase, then you were not a ballot winner)
• Winners will be contacted via email by midnight on Thursday 2nd June
• Winners must complete their purchase by midnight on Wednesday 8th June

WHY A BALLOT?

A ballot system is the new international method of choice for retailers facing the challenge of very limited supply with incredibly high demand.

We are fortunate and thankful that after 9 years of trading we have a sizeable customer base across our beautiful country. Some customers may only buy once a year, while others buy weekly. We appreciate them all, and any measure to determine who "deserves" to purchase will be flawed and will leave some customers with a bitter taste in their mouths.

A ballot leaves everything to chance and gives all customers sufficient time to enter: You register your interest, we have an impartial third-party randomly select names, and those individuals then have the opportunity to purchase a bottle. (Please note we do not contact unsuccessful ballot entrants.)