2018 Ardbeg Grooves Committee Release Single Malt, Islay

Ardbeg Grooves Committee Release Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Islay, Scotland

Ardbeg Grooves Committee Release (2018)

Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Islay, Scotland

ABV: 51.6%

Cask Influence: Heavily charred “groove-cut” red wine casks + classic ex‑bourbon

Style: Deeply smoky, sweet‑spiced, funky, retro‑Islay

Appearance - Deep amber with a coppery, almost burnished glow—suggesting wine‑soaked oak and heavy char.

Nose - A riot of smoked paprika, charred citrus peel, and sweet campfire embers. Then the signature Ardbeg funk rolls in: damp rope, tarred driftwood, herbal smoke, and a surprising lift of blackcurrant jam and cherry compote from the wine casks. Hints of clove, nutmeg, and toasted coconut sit underneath.

Palate - Big, oily, and swaggering. Smoked brisket, burnt sugar, and molten toffee. A wave of red-fruit sweetness—raspberry, cherry skins, blackcurrant. Spicy warmth: cayenne, ginger, cracked black pepper. Earthy, savoury notes: olive brine, charcoal, leather, smoked herbs The wine cask “grooves” add a chewy, almost sticky texture that amplifies the smoke-sweet interplay.

Finish - Long, warming, and satisfyingly dirty. Soot, smoked treacle, dark chocolate, and a final echo of red wine tannin and sweet spice.

A wonderfully retro, rebellious Ardbeg—equal parts sweet, smoky, spicy, and funky. The wine cask treatment gives it a unique groove: richer, redder, and more flamboyant than the core range, but still unmistakably Islay.

A bold, limited‑edition Ardbeg matured in heavily charred red wine casks, delivering a riot of smoky paprika, red‑fruit sweetness, campfire embers, and savoury coastal funk. Big, oily, and gloriously unruly—this is Ardbeg turned up to eleven.