In 2022, a new whisky, the Ardbeg: Wee Beastie 5 Years Old, was displayed to the global whisky market. However, fans soon discovered that the new spirit was a fantastic Halloween gift set.
A fiery dram with notes of coffee, fennel, and tree sap on the nose. Smoke, chocolate, aniseed, and savory meats explode on the palate, and the finish leaves a hint of cocoa and fudge.
It is the first new single malt Scotch whisky released from the Islay distillery since it released Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Years Old in August 2019. However, supplies are limited to annual batches.
Halloween Whisky From Ardbeg Is Truly Beastie
After the No Age Statement An Oa, which came to market in 2017, this maturation expression demonstrates a ramping up of the brand, mostly driven by an annual Ardbeg Day expression.
The last new core expression for Ardbeg fans had been 2009’s Corryvreckan, which replaced Airigh Nam Beist. Ardbeggians (fans of Ardbeg whisky) have had to wait as long as eight years for An Oa.
As Ardbeg prepares to expand, this is an indication of things to come. Ardbeg Wee Beastie 5 Years Old has been matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry butts, and bottled at 47.4% ABV.
In its relative youth, Wee Beastie echoes Ardbeg’s Very Young, Still Young, and Almost There expressions from the early 2000s. This demonstrated the distillery’s distinctive peated style at young ages and tracked the spirit’s evolution into Ardbeg 10 Years Old.
Mickey Heads, Ardbeg’s soon-to-retire distillery manager, said: “A new permanent expression in the core range is always momentous for the Distillery, but Wee Beastie is a particularly special dram. As it’s a younger whisky, it means we’re able to get as close to the still as possible. So it’s safe to say this is a ferociously good wee nip!”
