A WHISKY distillery has teamed up with an American comic book artist to launch an exclusive graphic novel alongside a limited run of their new single malt.
Ardbeg distillery, which is located on the stunning shoreline of Islay, has released its latest single malt, named Ardbeg The Abyss.
To celebrate the launch of their new tipple the whisky firm has collaborated with American comic book artist Tradd Moore to release a graphic novel which is available exclusively with The Abyss’s 400 numbered bottles.
The whisky is named after the whirlpool that lies to the north of Ardbeg.
Legend has it that Viking prince Breacan is said to have anchored his ship for three days and nights to win the hand of the Lord of the Isles’ daughter at Ardbeg.
The graphic novel, Planet Ardbeg, is a story about a prince who travels through space and time to emerge reborn on another planet and was inspired by the tale of the Viking prince and the whirlpool.
The 34-year-old whisky is a reemergence of a fan favourite from 2008, called Ardbeg Corryvreckan, as the Abyss is from a limited few casks of the original run which was stored away.
For anyone looking to buy a bottle of the limited run, it will set you back a cool £21,250.
Dr Bill Lumsden, Ardbeg’s director of whisky creation, says the “powerful” taste of the Ardbeg Corryvreckan was a big hit back in 2008 and the distillery is excited to bring it back in its new form.
He said: “Ardbeg The Abyss is the stuff of Ardbeggian legend. Formed from the rare heart of that original, sought-after 2008 limited release of Corryvreckan, this 34-year-old whisky has been transported by time into a new world of flavour.
“Held in a tiny handful of those rare, heavily toasted French oak casks, its 400 bottles contain mysterious depths of toasted marshmallows, dark chocolate, pecan nuts and leather – a rare taste of an Ardbeg icon revived, and reimagined.”
To celebrate Ardbeg Corryvreckan’s role in the distillery’s history, 1000 limited edition bottles of the core range Ardbeg Corryvreckan are also to be released, featuring a label design by Moore.
Four individual designs will be available, with each one taken from a frame featured in The Abyss’ graphic novel.
These unique bottles will only be available from the distillery's visitor centre on Islay from June.
Moore said: “When I visited Islay, everything felt holistic: the island itself, the people, the stories.
“From visiting the whirlpool to trying to swirl whisky in the glass, it all felt interconnected. I’m a big fan of mythology and as soon as I heard the legend of Corryvreckan, I just knew I wanted to reflect The Abyss’s mysterious depths through the story of Prince Breacan.
“On his own journey into mystery, he sees the abyss, enters the unknown and is swept up and surprised by what he finds…”
