At a launch event for Ardbeg Trudernish at Keys & Heels, guests sampled the new 15-year-old single malt whiskey, impressing with its sweet vanilla, fruity, dessert-like notes, and leaving many eager to see how it fares along the rest of Ardbeg’s lineup.
Ardbeg, the Islay-based Scottish whisky distillery, sent out invitations to an evening at Keys & Heels, a speakeasy on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The venue, disguised behind the façade of a locksmith and shoe repair shop, offered a mysterious introduction to the evening, with a dark interior, unusual decor (such as a statue of a sheep), dim lighting, and a pleasant mix of aromas throughout the space.
The setting was fitting for a whisky launch, but guests would have to do more than simply show up to enjoy their first pour. Rather than immediately handing out glasses, the team had a different introduction in mind: one that invited visitors to get familiar with the whisky before tasting it.
The task at hand was a scavenger hunt that sent guests around the venue in search of clues tied to different aspects of the whisky’s tasting notes. It was an interesting way to approach a tasting, encouraging everyone to consider the flavors and aromas that might emerge in the glass before they had a chance to experience them firsthand.
Once the hunt was complete, the bartender finally poured everyone a glass, and the room raised a toast to Ardbeg Trudernish. Gillian Macdonald, head of whisky creation, then addressed the guests to explain the thinking behind the new release. A 15-year-old single malt and the first permanent expression of its age in Ardbeg’s core range, she stated that Trudernish reflects a more experimental and, at times, playful approach to the distillery’s whisky-making tradition. Hearing Macdonald discuss its creation offered a glimpse into the thinking behind the spirit and the character Ardbeg hoped to bring forward.
Master Blender Gillian Macdonald speaks about the new whiskey
-Courtesy of The Knockturnal
Guests took a sip, and were visibly impressed with the notably sweet aroma and a clear essence of vanilla, both of which carried through on the palate. That sweetness gave Trudernish an inviting character, offering a different point of entry into a distillery widely associated with its smoky, peaty Islay character. All of these were recognizable from the scavenger hunt, particularly toasted nuts in the finish, which many might not have identified otherwise and giving the activity a defining purpose.
The evening provided a compelling introduction to the new expression of Ardbeg’s whiskey. While a launch event offers only one setting in which to experience a drink, Trudernish left guests eager to encounter it again to see how it finds its place among Ardbeg’s broader lineup.
