Ardbeg Day is a global celebration of all things Ardbeg, held annually on the last Saturday of Islay’s Festival of Music and Malt, Fèis Ìle. With festivities set to take place at the distillery and across the globe on Saturday, June 3, this year, Ardbeg will mark the event by releasing an experimental Limited Edition whisky, Ardbeg Heavy Vapours. 

Following the distillery’s Planet Ardbeg comic launch last year, a dramatic new storyline in the series will be revealed alongside the new expression that’s inspired by its unusual creation. And so this year, whisky lovers are invited to celebrate the theme of ‘Planet’ Ardbeg Day – where they can expect to be transported into Ardbeg’s mythical, graphic novel universe. 

For the first time ever at Ardbeg its whisky has been distilled without a purifier – the apparatus on the still responsible for maintaining Ardbeg’s balance between extreme peat and floral fruitiness. This experiment by Director of Whisky Creation, Dr. Bill Lumsden, has allowed the heaviest and untamed vapours to rise up the still during the distillation process, before being captured, matured and bottled.

The expression’s unusual distillation process and resulting flavor has been brought to life in the accompanying graphic novel created by celebrated comic artist and illustrator, Dilraj Mann. The plot follows Agent 46 (AKA Jackie Thomson, Ardbeg Visitor Centre Manager and Committee Chair) – a plucky interplanetary detective on a quest to locate the elusive purifier and restore Ardbeg’s signature balance. 

The Distillery is inviting fans and whisky lovers to enter the ARDverse for Planet Ardbeg Day by attending as their favorite Ardbeg-inspired hero, comic character or mythical creature. For those who can’t make it on the day, Ardbeg’s Director of Whisky Creation, Dr Bill Lumsden will be hosting an Ardbeg Heavy Vapours masterclass on ardbeg.com. 

Ardbeg Heavy Vapours will be available to buy worldwide from Ardbeg Embassies, whisky specialists, online retailers, and from the Distillery Visitor Centre. 

For more news on Ardbeg Day 2023 and all things Ardbeg, smoky malt whisky fans can join the Ardbeg Committee at ardbeg.com/en-gb/committee.