Ardbeg Heavy Vapours Feis Ile 2023

A fascinating one from Ardbeg, Heavy Vapours is the Islay distillery's whisky with the gloves taken off. Meaning it was distilled without using Ardbeg’s purifier. Typically, vapours that rise up the still are captured by this piece of equipment, which sits on the lyne arm of Ardbeg’s spirit still. It captures heavier compounds and condenses them, causing them to fall back into the still. The vapours fall back into the still, are heated again, and so rise again. This purifying process is said to bring a floral fruitiness that balances the spirit's powerful peat, but that's been avoided here to bring a more full-throttle Ardbeg whisky, which was bottled without chill-filtration at 46% ABV.

Tasting Notes

NOSE
It's so deep and earthy Alice might think it's a route into Wonderland. There's smouldering soil and rock pool salinity (almost bordering on chlorine), as well as a minty/eucalyptus quality that develops into After Eight mints. Cardamom follows, as well as sweetness from tinned peaches and treacle, as well as a strange funkiness akin to Gruyère. Interesting stuff.

PALATE
You would think Ardbeg without the purifier would come out punching, but this is a more relaxed intensity. Thick ashy smoke drifts through a palate rich with dark chocolate, apples, charred honeyed meat, and a little cumin.

FINISH
Old coffee, more chocolate, smouldering wood, and minty herbs.