What if Ardbeg dared to remove the purifier?
What is a purifier?
A small copper pot on the underside of the lyne arm between the still and the condenser.
What does it physically allow?
It captures the heaviest vapours rising up the still into the lyne arm, allowing them to fall into the purifier pot and condensing back into liquid. We call that “reflux” when the vapour condenses back to liquid inside the still.
What is the effect on the spirit?
The purifier allows this additional ‘reflux’ of super heavily peated spirit and means that Ardbeg is not just “all peat” but gets a supremely balanced taste. A harmony of the fruits, the herbal & floral flavours and the peat, allowing Ardbeg the be the most complex of all the Islay malts…
The purifier makes Ardbeg… Ardbeg!
But what if they removed the purifier?
… Introducing Ardbeg Heavy Vapours!
Tasting Notes
Colour – Pale Straw
Aroma – Intense, pungent & aromatic, with a distinctive farmyard aroma, along with a crunchy aroma, like creosote or tarry rope. The smoke is all dominating, but has a slightly sweet edge to it, almost like dark chocolate. A splash of water opens the bouquet, with some dark chocolate cream, and a hint of smoked artichoke.
Taste – The mouthfeel is spicy/warming, with an initial burst of bittersweet flavours – coal dust, cardamon, peppermint, eucalyptus, and more dark chocolate with some coffee grits. In the background there are some old-fashioned boiled sweets, like aniseed twists, cinnamon balls, and antiseptic lozenges.
Taste – The aftertaste lingers long and bold with an ongoing, almost anaesthetising sensation
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