Ardbeg Anamorphic is a whisky that plays with perception. Released for Ardbeg Day 2024, this limited edition draws inspiration from the concept of anamorphosis, an art technique that distorts an image until viewed from a specific angle. In the same way, this dram reveals its layers and complexity only when approached from the right perspective. It’s Ardbeg, but not as you know it.

Created using a mysterious “High Definition” cask treatment, Anamorphic delivers a densely structured flavour profile. The nose offers a swirl of smoked hazelnuts, soot, espresso foam, and dried black fruit. Hints of leather and salted liquorice add intrigue. On the palate, it’s deeply smoky and savoury, with waves of charcoal, treacle, grilled herbs, and black olive. Underneath the darkness lies a subtle sweetness, think molasses and burnt citrus peel.

The finish is long, oily, and satisfyingly strange, with lingering notes of smoked meat, spice, and earthy peat.

Anamorphic is a dram that challenges convention and rewards curiosity. It’s one for collectors, Ardbeg loyalists, and adventurous drinkers who enjoy whisky that pushes beyond the expected. A surreal sensory experience bottled at 48.2 percent, it is as much theatre as it is spirit.