For Ardbeg Day 2025, Ardbeg’s Head of Distilling and Whiskey Creation, Dr. Bill Lumsden, has released a truly unique take on a beloved Islay malt. For the spirit that would become “Smokiverse,” the distillery used a process called “high gravity mashing” which includes more grain but uses much less water in the mash tuns (fermentation tanks). Ardbeg says the resulting “wort,” or fermented mash, has a “magnified the intensity of flavour-active (sic) acetate esters ” which results in a fruitier, sweeter taste. Smokiverse is bottled without chill filtration or added color at 48.3% abv.