HBI Staff | Hyderabad 
The Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky Ardbeg, from the house of LVMH, is raising a glass to peat-loving whisky enthusiasts in India with the highly anticipated launch of Ardbeg Spectacular – the Distillery’s first whisky aged in port casks, this avant-garde limited edition showcases a spectacle of flavours never before tasted at Ardbeg. To mark this special occasion, Ardbeg hosted the global first-ever travel retail Ardbeg Day celebrations at Ospree Duty Free in Mumbai on May 31, 2024.
Held annually on the final Saturday of Islay’s Festival of Music and Malt (Fèis Ìle), Ardbeg Day is a global celebration of all things Ardbeg. This year, festivities took a show-stopping turn at the Distillery and around the world, as Ardbeg unveiled one of its most eclectic experiments to date – Ardbeg Spectacular. Vaulting on to the shoulders of classic bourbon-matured Ardbeg, whisky wholly matured in these port barrels brings a tumbling richness and an acrobatic twist of colour to the Islay malt. Dark chocolate cartwheels across the palate, mint walks the high wire, while aromas of candied fruit, incense candles and smoked pecans swing by on the trapeze. A helter-skelter of flavours, this year’s limited-edition release showcases an incredible smoky balance while being undeniably weird and absolutely Spectacular!
Taking inspiration from the whisky’s deep, dark cavalcade of flavours — as sensational as any carnival act — the Islay single malt invited fans to join its very own ‘Dark Circus’ on Ardbeg Day. Through the month of June, whisky fans travelling via Mumbai International Airport can delve into an offbeat and smoky Ardbeggian take on the circus, through intriguing engagements, outlandish games and an extravaganza of peaty delights. The Ospree Duty Free celebrations in Mumbai promise an unforgettable peat-soaked experience for travellers – promising one lucky winner a chance to visit the Ardbeg Distillery in Scotland.
Smriti Sekhsaria, Marketing Director at Moet Hennessy India, said: “We are thrilled to be hosting the world’s first-ever Ardbeg Day Travel Retail only celebrations in Mumbai at Ospree Duty Free! Ardbeg has a strong base of loyalists in India, and we are delighted to bring to them a wonderful flavour adventure with Spectacular. We look forward to hosting travellers in our Dark Circus at Mumbai International Airport through the month of June, as they discover the dramatic world of Ardbeg. Ardbeg enthusiasts and curious travellers can expect to cartwheel into a whirlwind of smoky wonder – it’s a peaty voyage that will leave you breathless!”
Gillian Macdonald, Ardbeg Master Blender, said: “Ardbeg Spectacular is a high-flying spirit, very befitting of Ardbeg Day. Its years in bourbon and port casks create a spectacle of flavours, the like of which Ardbeggians will never have tasted before. We invite fans to roll up and feast their palates on its peculiar notes of mint chocolate, incense, lavender and smoked nuts, set off by a daring double act of salted caramel and tar. Like the finest performances in the circus ring, this is a whisky not to be missed.”
Ardbeg Spectacular is available to buy from Ardbeg Embassies, whisky specialists, online retailers, the Distillery Visitor Centre on Islay and on Ardbeg.com. In India, Ardbeg Spectacular is exclusively available at Ospree Duty Free in Mumbai International Airport and is priced at INR 11,100.
