Ardbeg
LVMH
Masters of Smoke
Ardbeg’s reputation precedes them. The Islay distillery has been producing whisky for over 200 years. We worked with Arbeg’s whisky creation team to help bartenders around the world appreciate and understand the complexities of the whisky they were pouring. It was time for the drinks industry to tap into the geeky side of smoke.
Smoke signals
Ardbeg don’t just know smoke, they own smoke. From this defining statement, we developed a unique and engaging on-trade education programme for bartenders around the globe. The Masters of Smoke programme focussed on the elements that made Ardbeg’s whisky inimitable: the peat, phenols and science behind the flavours in the core range.
The Masters of Smoke toolkit includes a deep dive digital presentation, a uniquely-named “Peatyodic Table” tasting guide, a scaled peat bog model, and a scent kit featuring aromas of key phenolic Ardbeg flavours. The toolkit was a new approach for Ardbeg, but with a desire to increase awareness of its product’s versatility and a large cocktail market to tap into, it was effective in celebrating Ardbeg and educating the industry about its unique offering.
We designed The Masters of Smoke programme so that brand ambassadors could scale the sessions to their needs. Big or small, the aim remained the same: to educate the industry on the science behind the smoke, and inspire professional advocates for Ardbeg.
The Masters of Smoke programme was overwhelmingly well received by ambassadors and bartenders. The accessible industry toolkit paved the way for further education and understanding of one of the world’s most revered whisky brands.
- Campaign Innovator of the Year: Whisky Magazine Icons of Whisky Global Awards
