Ardbeg Eureka! is an Ardbeg Committee exclusive, retailing for £72 per bottle (~$90).
The Ardbeg Committee
The Ardbeg Committee was founded in January 2000, in the early days of Ardbeg’s revival. The distillery, which had seen some turbulent times in the 1980s and 1990s, was purchased by Glenmorangie plc in 1997. In the ensuing years, Ardbeg was revived as an Islay icon and is now one of the most beloved distilleries on the island.
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The committee’s purpose was to create a community of Ardbeg fans, in which whisky lovers could discuss the nuances of Ardbeg and their favorite bottlings, and spread the word about the distillery.
Membership is free, and committee members enjoy exclusive access to distillery experiences, tastings, events, and of course annual Committee Releases including the Ardbeg Eureka!
Ardbeg Eureka!
The Ardbeg Eureka! Celebrates 25 years of the Ardbeg Committee. Master Blender Gillian Macdonald and Dr. Bill Lumsden, Head of Whisky Creation at The Glenmorangie Company, wanted to accurately reflect the taste preferences of Ardbeg’s loyal fans. Rather than simply conduct external research, Ardbeg decided to invite a dedicated group of fans to the distillery to aid in the creation of Ardbeg Eureka!
Operation Smokescreen
100 Ardbeg superfans from 15 different countries were invited to Ardbeg Distillery to take place in Operation Smokescreen, a secret operation that would end in the crafting of Ardbeg Eureka!
Led by Master Blender Gillian Macdonald, the Ardbeg Committee members sampled five different Ardbeg expressions, recording their tasting notes, engaging in discussions, and giving their opinions throughout.
Using these notes and preferences, Gillian Macdonald and Dr. Bill Lumsden set out to create the perfect committee expression – one that would combine the varying tastes of the 100 superfans into the ultimate Islay whisky. The result is Ardbeg Eureka!
Gillian said: “Operation Smokescreen was a brilliant opportunity to get inside the minds of the Ardbeg Committee – and has inspired our most bespoke Committee bottling yet. With its medley of flavours, from cherries and red apples to briny seaweed and bonfires, topped with cinnamon and raisin fudge, Ardbeg Eureka! is packed with a variety of flavours, inspired by our eclectic group of Committee members’ tastes, who are united by their love of Ardbeg’s smoky and fruity balance. There was a real eureka moment when, after countless experiments, Dr Bill and I landed upon the perfect recipe.”
Committee Chair and Ardbeg Distillery Visitor Centre Manager Jackie Thomson said: “The Committee have been the lifeblood of Ardbeg for a quarter of a century – you won’t find a more passionate bunch of smoky malt lovers anywhere else. Ardbeg Eureka! is an exuberant reward for our members’ dedication. Slàinte mhath to 25 years of the Ardbeg Committee!”
My Thoughts On The Ardbeg Eureka! Creation Process
The use of Operation Smokescreen, along with involving committee members in selecting from a few different samples, is an interesting and highly inclusive way for Ardbeg to engage with their most dedicated consumers. I don’t think this is an Ardbeg that will divide fans of the style in any way—it’s very classic—but I’d love to know more about the roasted malt element in this whisky, which was matured in ex-bourbon casks. If that’s what’s contributing to these rich, nutty notes, then it’s certainly a topic worth further discussion.
I believe this is exactly how Ardbeg should engage more with their customers, particularly by involving them in the early stages of whisky creation. Ardbeg fans are among the most loyal in the whisky world and deserve to be rewarded with exciting releases that aren’t excessively priced. This is a great example of what the Ardbeg Committee should represent.
Official Tasting Notes
The intensely complex profile of Ardbeg Eureka! was achieved through the combination of Pedro Ximénez-aged whisky with roasted malt spirit matured in bourbon casks.
Official tasting notes for the Ardbeg Eureka! are as follows:
“Colour: Amber
“Aroma: Full and fruity on the nose with cherry and juicy red apple. Caramel infused coffee grounds and cocoa powder are softened by a subtle backdrop of heather bonfire and hand rolled sweet tobacco leaves. There are some herbal notes like cedar and fennel present in the distant background. With water, dark chocolate and walnut oil come through and more smoke emerges through the sweeter fruits. Like walking alongside a road that’s being freshly tarred!
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“Taste: An explosion of sweet flavours like nut toffee brittle, raisin fudge and dark fruits (fig, damson and plump cherries) is balanced with a rockpool salinity. Dark chocolate coated raisins lead into chicory and sweet cinnamon spices alongside a curious drying sensation. The smoke builds up to a crescendo of sweet applewood and a medicinal iodine, burnt moss and ash.
“Finish: The finish is long and chewy with sweet treacle toffee aniseed spice, coal tar soap and burning embers.”
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