Ardbeg, revered purveyors of single malt Scotch whisky, are partnering with East London hotspot restaurant Acme Fire Cult on a month-long exclusive menu. Why? Ardbeg have just launched a fantastic new bbq-inspired whisky, BizarreBQ. Grilling and distilling share a key element in the creation of flavour – fire – making the limited-edition single malt scotch whisky the ideal grill-side accompaniment to the offering at Acme Fire Cult, a live-fire concept in Dalston, East London.
BizarreBQ has been cleverly designed to pair perfectly with smoky food, so from 1 August 2023, Ardbeg will celebrate this whisky with a dedicated cocktail menu curated by Jamie Barter, bar manager at Acme Fire Cult.
The drinks
This new cocktail menu will feature the ‘Harissa Penicillin’ for a fiery blend of citrus, honey and ginger, the ‘Mid-Summer Highball’ which offers a fresh combination with vermouth and elderflower, and my personal highlight, the ‘Slushie Affogato’ for a smoky take on the salted-caramel, coffee and vanilla-based serve. You won’t find another affogato like this!
The cocktail menu will be available until the end of August, in addition to an exclusive dessert pairing which will consist of a dram of Ardbeg’s limited edition BizarreBQ and a peated malt and brown butter cake, caramel, and Ardbeg poached plums with praline cream to top off the ultimate summer BBQ experience.
The food
All of the drinks will be available to enjoy alongside the constantly evolving menu at Acme Fire Cult, from chefs Andrew Clarke and Daniel Watkins. The restaurant offers an alternative approach to live-fire cooking: vegetables take centre stage on its unique menu, alongside rare and native breed meat from regenerative farms and dayboat fish, all cooked on its outdoor grill.
Through the menu’s use of beer by-products from sister venue 40ft Brewery, food and drink are intrinsically linked at Acme Fire Cult, making it the perfect location to explore the distinctive flavour profile of Ardbeg BizarreBQ, which also happens to be the distillery’s first ever barbecue-inspired whisky.
More about BizarreBQ whisky
The gorgeous deep amber liquid was inspired by Ardbeg’s ongoing collaboration with BBQ chef extraordinaire, Christian Stevenson, also known as DJ BBQ. DJ BBQ is a live fire chef and a leading name in the world of BBQ. After a successful broadcasting career, he harnessed his passion for cooking over fire and now has his own YouTube channel and is also a regular on Jamie Oliver’s FoodTube. Fuelled by a shared obsession for smoke and its vast, rich flavour possibilities, Ardbeg BizarreBQ has been cooked up by the creative mind of Ardbeg’s Director of Whisky Creation, Dr Bill Lumsden, in partnership with DJ BBQ. This whisky is a single malt that packs a meaty, peaty punch and complements the true character of delicious barbecue food.
So what makes it so special?
Ardbeg BizarreBQ is brought to life with double-charred oak casks; Pedro Ximénez sherry casks and unique Ardbeg BBQ casks, resulting in a combination of sweet, tangy and savoury notes that capture the flavours of smoky barbecue. The colour of the whisky is particularly eyecatching, a burnt caramel with a slight sweetness on the nose coming from the time in sherry casks. It’s a very special liquid that you’ll be hard pressed to forget. It’s one of those whiskies you’d happily drink while lounging in the bathtub at the end of a particularly taxing day… Luxury personified.
To accompany the smoky menu, an exclusive BizarreBQ-inspired mural designed by graffiti artist, Mr Cenz (aka Julian Phethean), will also feature on the wall of Acme Fire Cult.
So what are you waiting for? Get down to Acme Fire Cult this month to take advantage of this limited-edition menu. It’s on until 31 August.
To discover more visit acmefirecult.com
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All imagery courtesy of ACME Fire Cult.