The Persuaders creates Ice Scream monstrous tour for Ardbeg
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Whisky lovers are in for a treat this Halloween as a monstrous creation rolls into town across the UK where cities will echo with the chimes of a specially commissioned ‘ice scream’ horror truck. The vehicle took three months and 12 people to build and has been created to pay homage to classic B-Movie beasts of the silver screen and serve exclusive devilish ice cream serves made with and without Ardbeg’s smoky single malt Scotch whisky.
The monstrous truck – complete with horns, tentacles and beady eyes – will visit London, Glasgow and Edinburgh between 26th and 31st October, this Halloween.
Experiential agency The Persuaders have designed and produced the vehicle and are delivering the tour.
The serves are created in partnership with the founder of renowned artisanal ice cream parlour Ruby Violet and include:
- Cookies & Scream: Ardbeg Wee Beastie ice cream sandwiched between charcoal cookies, coated in (optional) crunchy mealworms
- Ahhh, No! Bar: Lapsang Souchong ice cream with an Ardbeg An Oa caramel centre coated in white chocolate
- Ice Cream Groan: charcoal cone, filled with Ardbeg Ten smoky blackcurrant ice cream, topped with sour cherries and a brittle insect-flecked shard
The ice creams are available to buy from the Ice Scream truck and are free for existing Ardbeg Committee Members. In addition, all three exclusive ice cream serves will be available to buy from Ruby Violet’s King’s Cross Coal Drops Yard outlet in London from Friday 22nd October until stocks last.
Visitors of the Ice Scream truck can also book an exclusive 45-minute slot in a scary Monsters of Smoke ‘cage’ and indulge in ice and cocktails. The ‘cage’ is an extension of the Ice Scream horror truck and allows visitors to experience squeamishly smoky, exclusive cocktails such as:
- Cherry Lipsmacker – a different slant on the old favourite whisky and cola, it summons flavours of smoky tea, syrup sweetness and treacle toffee, as cigar smoke and aniseed creep across your palate
- Begroni – Herbaceous and chocolatey, it nods at the heritage of the original serve when Count Negroni requested a punchier version of his favourite Americano. Made with Ardbeg Wee Beastie, it has a smoky, spicy bite
- New fashioned – a smoky brilliance to this serve using Ardbeg Ten Years Old. Black pepper pops with cinnamon toffee, chewy peat oil and jammy blackcurrant tones for a taste that’s almost out of this world
Colin Gordon, Ardbeg Distillery Manager, said: “Our “ice scream” truck will be prowling the country this month, leaving smoky delights in its wake during the spookiest time of the year. I’d urge whisky lovers to beware though: Ardbeg Wee Beastie is a dram with quite a bite, so while it may be encased in ice cream, you’ll still need to be on your guard. The events are guaranteed to linger long in the nightmares of anyone who dares attend.”
Andy McDonald – Creative Director, The Persuaders, comments: “We love working with the guys at Ardbeg. They allow our creative juices to overflow. We’ve been working on this ‘B-Movie’ concept with them for the past few years but sadly because of COVID we haven’t really been able to bring any of it to life. Now with this spooktacular Ice Scream Truck that looks like a monster which has risen from the peat bogs of Isla, we will be able to show off the wonderfully weird world of Ardbeg Whisky!”
Gemma Parkinson, Global Head of Brand for Ardbeg adds: “Ardbeg is a big, bold and untamed whisky – in fact, we call our core expressions the ‘Monsters of Smoke’. Taking inspiration from their terrifyingly good flavour, and from the visual playground of 1950s B-Movies, we wanted to create an unforgettable Halloween experience for fans old and new. Our ‘Ice Scream’ truck will rampage across the UK this October, giving unsuspecting drinkers a chance to discover Ardbeg’s smoky deliciousness through some fun and freaky ice cream serves.”
Tickets are available to purchase in advance via www.ardbeg.com/en-gb/ardbeg-ice-scream, and members of the Ardbeg Committee will receive a voucher for a complimentary serve of their choice. Sign up to the Committee for free at Ardbeg.com.*
