Ardbeg's Twin Barrel Is Probably The First In the World To Showcase Turkish Wine Cask Aged Whisky

Ardbeg seems to have a very finely tuned whisky - a highly likely first in the world, first of its kind, in fact - that awaits us! 

Named the Ardbeg Twin Barrel, the new expression makes use of Turkish wine casks - never before seen! - and Bourbon barrels to create what the distillery calls a finely tuned whisky. What is yet to be confirmed of course is what type of Turkish wine casks were used, which will prove to be an interesting point of note given that Turkey, which is a often called the cradle of wine and is typically cited as the very spot in which the vitis vinifera wine grape was first cultivated, is known for having over 1,000 indigenous grape varietals with the most well established being Öküzgözü, Boğazkere and Kalecik Karası for the reds and Narince, Emir and Sultaniye for the whites. Whilst conventional international wine varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and Syrah are also grown, they are not as widespread in the country.

"From the get-go, aromas of smoke build steadily, shifting into wafts of oily tar and burnt citrus, while notes of dark espresso bitterness bring bite and edge. On the palate, notes of warming chilli heat roar through before easing up and revealing a sweeter, more balanced character."

"Ardbeg Twin Barrel is built from just that. Rare Turkish wine and classic bourbon casks piece together an Ardbeg that twists and turns through sweet, floral notes before kicking into spice and smoke. Aromas of mint milkshake and dark chocolate give way to notes of white peppercorn and warming liquorice root. Smoke and chilli heat fuse with flavours of bittersweet espresso and tangy orange peel."

Now of course, fans will fondly recall the 2020 release of the Ardbeg Blaaack which made use of New Zealand Pinot Noir casks which turned out to be a big hit, and so with the new Ardbeg Twin Barrel, could we be seeing a repeat of similar epic proportions? Whatever the case, it is clear that Ardbeg certainly has a penchant for making use of wine casks, which has lent well to its smoky and meaty flavour profile!

The new Ardbeg Twin Barrel is due to be bottled at 50% ABV.

Stay tuned for more!

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team