TCO London

Paddle against the flow.

TCO London Blog featuring our latest news across Huck magazine and Little White Lies magazine, as well as our branded content campaigns for the likes of Nike, Google, Finlandia Vodka, Vans Skateboarding, Facebook, Adidas and Accenture.

LVMH Single Malt Ardbeg and TCO London launch the ‘Smoke Sessions’ with DJ BBQ

 
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Grilling meets Distilling in this campaign targeting the new ‘young non-traditional whisky-loving’ market. 

Ardbeg’s commitment to smoky flavours, showcasing mouthwatering barbeque dishes and delicious smoky cocktails to sip alongside, hosted by pro pit master DJ BBQ, aims to speak to a period when many people are spending more time than ever at home and are more willing to experiment with new flavours this BBQ season.

‘Ardbeg Smoke Sessions’ is the coming together of two smoke-obsessed cultures – Ardbeg, famed for being one of the smokiest single malt whiskies available, and BBQ food. The global campaign is centred around a video series hosted by DJ BBQ (AKA Christian Stevenson), a certified 'catertainment' star, with a focus on smoke, wood and heat (the key to perfect barbequed food – and just as important to single malt), who for Summer 2020 takes BBQ cooking to the next level, pairing the best smoky Ardbeg-based cocktails with unforgettable BBQ dishes.

 
 

Galina Grozdanova, Global Senior Brand Manager at Ardbeg, said: “As one of the smokiest whiskies on the shelf, Ardbeg has a unique space to play in. We are passionate about smoky flavours and wanted to work with TCO and DJ BBQ to create the loudest, craziest, smokiest cookout and cocktail series, that both reflect our brand and attract a new whisky drinker who is looking for big and bold flavours. The series finale came home to Ardbeg in Islay where naturally we learn how to smoke a side of salmon on an open fire and pair it with an Ardbeg An Oa Bloody Mary… tasty in the extreme!”

D’Arcy Doran, Head of Strategy at TCO London, said: “We wanted to create an avant-garde whisky series about experimenting with taste and smoky flavours. We knew in doing so that it might upset the traditional “only on the rocks” whisky drinkers, but Ardbeg were continually supportive in letting us push through and create recipes that aim to engage and resonate with a wider audience who hopefully go on to try whisky in new and interesting ways.”

 DJ BBQ added: “My smoky barbecue recipes share so many characteristics with the flavours of Ardbeg whisky, and they complement each other perfectly. The laws of wood, heat and smoke are so important to barbecue and single malt alike, and once mastered, you’ll become a barbecue boss."

The campaign will kick off on Friday 24th July at 8pm (BST) with the UK's smokiest virtual BBQ cookalong on Instagram Live. Our smoke coach, DJ BBQ, will be joined by Brendan McCarron, the Distillery's Head of Maturing Whisky Stocks, who will be sharing his knowledge with the grill expert as he rustles up one of his favourite recipes – a smoky Ardbeg cocktail.

TCO London