No doubt eagerly awaited by many, Ardbeg has unveiled The Abyss 34 Year Old, an iconic rebirth of the original 1989 Ardbeg spirit used in the limited-edition Ardbeg Corryvreckan released in 2008. This exclusive release is limited to just 400 bottles, each priced at £21,250.
Ardbeg The Abyss emerges from the rare essence of the fan-favorite Corryvreckan. Over its 34 years of maturation, the whisky has transformed, revealing extraordinary new flavors. The original Corryvreckan was crafted from mature 1989 spirit, aged in bourbon casks and finished in ‘ultra-active’ French oak casks, which endowed the whisky with intense depth. From these preserved barrels comes The Abyss, now encased in a sleek, silver capsule, offering swirls of toasted marshmallows and tea leaves, with notes of dark chocolate, pecan, leather, and creosote.
To mark The Abyss’s release, American comic-book artist Tradd Moore has re-imagined the Corryvreckan whirlpool legend in a fantastical graphic novel, exclusively available with the 400 numbered bottles of The Abyss. The graphic novel mirrors the whisky’s journey into new flavor dimensions, breathing new life into the legend of Viking prince Breacan.
Dr. Bill Lumsden, Ardbeg’s Director of Whisky Creation, said: “Ardbeg The Abyss is the stuff of Ardbeggian legend. Formed from the rare heart of the 2008 Corryvreckan release, this 34-year-old whisky offers mysterious depths of toasted marshmallows, dark chocolate, pecan nuts, and leather – a rare taste of an Ardbeg icon revived and re-imagined.“
Tradd Moore added: “When I visited Islay, everything felt holistic: the island itself, the people, the stories. The legend of Corryvreckan inspired me to reflect The Abyss’s mysterious depths through the story of Prince Breacan.“
Ardbeg The Abyss will be available for purchase on the Ardbeg website, at the Distillery Visitor Centre on Islay, and through the Moët Hennessy Private Client channel worldwide, with a RRP of £21,250/25,000 Euro.
Additionally, to celebrate Corryvreckan’s significance, 1,000 limited-edition bottles of the core range Ardbeg Corryvreckan will be released. These bottles, featuring label designs by Tradd Moore, will be available only at the Distillery Visitor Centre on Islay starting in June.
