Ardbeg unveils final chapter of Anthology series with 15-year designer cask whisky The Beithir’s Tale

Ardbeg has unveiled the third and final installment of its experimental Anthology series, The Beithir’s Tale, a 15-year-old single malt whisky that marks the Islay distillery’s first use of custom-designed bourbon casks for aging. Named after a serpentine creature from Scottish mythology, the packaging is also inspired by this mythical being.

Master Blender Gillian Macdonald explained that the whisky was aged in specially treated American oak casks. These designer casks were air-dried instead of kiln-dried, then heavily toasted and lightly charred before being seasoned with bourbon for at least four years. This process aims to create a fuller, creamier flavor to complement Ardbeg’s signature peaty style.

The official tasting notes for The Beithir’s Tale describe it as pale straw in color, with a rich, oily aroma featuring molasses, creosote, and smoked herbs. On the palate, it offers peat smoke, coffee grounds, and blackcurrant flavors, along with a ‘hissing’ sensation, finishing with vanilla and smoky cream.

This limited-edition whisky completes a trilogy inspired by mythical creatures of Islay, alongside the first two Anthology releases. The series began with The Harpy’s Tale, aged in bourbon and Sauternes wine casks, followed by The Unicorn’s Tale, which combined bourbon cask-aged Ardbeg with Madeira cask-aged whisky.

The Beithir’s Tale has already won the 2025 Spirit Gold Outstanding award (98 points) at the International Wine & Spirit Competition and a gold medal at the International Spirits Challenge. It further cements Ardbeg’s reputation as one of Scotland’s most experimental single malt producers.

2025-08-05

Source: https://thewhiskeywash.com/whiskey-news/ardbeg-unveils-anthology-series-finale-with-15-year-designer-cask-whisky/