ARDBEG masters of smoke
Advancing industry knowledge of the worlds smokiest whisky
Trade Education, Education Strategy, Global Activation, Physical Experience and Event Design
The Challenge
For over two centuries, Ardbeg has been distilling on Islay, using one of the highest levels of peated malt in the whisky world. They don’t just know smoke — they own smoke. But while the brand was recognised for its intense peaty character, bartenders needed a deeper understanding of what made Ardbeg truly unique: the complexity behind the smoke and the science behind the flavour.
The Opportunity
To educate, engage, and inspire the global bartender community by revealing what really makes Ardbeg stand apart. This was a chance to elevate the conversation from simple peat intensity to mastery of flavour, and to position Ardbeg as the true authority on smoke.
• WINNER, Campaign Innovator of the Year Winner
• WINNER, Whisky Magazine Icons of Whisky
• WINNER, Campaign Innovator of the Year Winner • WINNER, Whisky Magazine Icons of Whisky
Igniting the Flame
We created Masters of Smoke. An immersive, on-trade education programme designed to help bartenders understand and appreciate the science, craft, and complexity behind Ardbeg’s signature flavour. Working closely with the Whisky Creation team, we built the story around what makes Ardbeg inimitable: peat, phenols, and pure distilling obsession.
The science made tangible
To bring the programme to life, we designed a complete Masters of Smoke toolkit. It included activation guidelines, a deep-dive digital presentation, a scaled peat bog model, a “Peatyodic Table” tasting guide, and a scent kit capturing key phenolic aromas found in Ardbeg whiskies. Each element was built to make learning tactile, memorable and scalable. Adaptable for intimate tastings or large-scale ambassador sessions alike.
The Smoke Spreads
The Masters of Smoke programme was met with huge enthusiasm from both brand ambassadors and bartenders. It successfully reframed Ardbeg as the definitive expert on smoke, deepening appreciation for its complexity and versatility in cocktails. Since its launch, demand for Masters of Smoke has grown across markets and influenced the wider brand and marketing strategy. Proving that when it comes to smoke, no one does it like Ardbeg.
