Discover the Magic of the Unicorn’s Tale

Do you believe in unicorns? The folks at Ardbeg certainly do. The brand has just announced the release of the second scotch in its Anthology Series: The Unicorn’s Tale. This exceptional whisky spent 14 years maturing in a combination of bourbon and Madeira wine casks.

The island of Madeira, where the fortified wine is produced

“At Ardbeg, we love experimenting with how we can push our spirit’s smoky balance into new worlds of flavor,” Ardbeg Director of Whisky Creation Dr. Bill Lumsden explained. “Some time ago, we decided to try maturing Ardbeg in unusual cask types for the distillery to create sweet and smoky ‘hybrids’ – and so the Anthology Collection was born.”

The Unicorn’s Tale is a celebration of rare and strange malts, and this experimental line focuses on a hybrid-style aging regimen. This particular scotch spent time resting in casks that previously housed America’s native spirit and Madeira, a type of fortified wine known for its nutty and cooked fruit flavors.

Each expression in the Anthology Series is named after a mythological creature.

According to Ardbeg, some claimed they have seen these mystical creatures on Islay. Whether there are unicorns present within the scotch whisky region remains up for debate, but as far as concrete facts are concerned, Ardbeg The Unicorn’s Tale hosts an ABV of 46% and a suggested retail price of $159.99.

The Unicorn’s Tale follows in the footsteps of The Harpy’s Tale, which debuted in August. The mythical expression was aged in a combination of ex-bourbon and Sauternes cask for 13 years. The brand shared that it chose to name the scotch after a half-woman, half-bird creature to celebrate the scotch whisky’s hybridized aging regimen.

“The Unicorn’s Tale is the second release in this series, which has been created by marrying classic Ardbeg matured in bourbon casks with a parcel of whisky wholly matured in sweet Madeira casks,” Lumsden shared. “The outcome is a whisky bursting with notes of banana bread and tropical fruit fused with Ardbeg’s hallmark flavors of camphor, lime zest, and wood smoke. This 14-year-old whisky may appear sweet in nature, but its smoky side is not to be underestimated!”

The Unicorn’s Tale Tasting Notes

Nose: Richly sweet, with fruity baked banana bread and sponge pudding. Ardbeg claims a bit of water reveals tropical fruit coupled with Eucalyptus oil and smoke.

Taste: Lime zest coupled with sweet peaches, rich and smoked fruit, baked bread, and mentholated lozenges coupled with anise. Nutmeg interlaced with peat smoke dances on the palate.

Finish: Whimsically smoky, with menthol, clove, smoke, and camphor.