If you Google Ardbeg BizarreBQ you can find a picture of the original proposed back label for this release, which stated that their "BBQ casks" were comprised of "oak toasted over a brazier packed with seaweed and birchwood." For whatever reason, they left that interesting nugget out of the label that made it onto bottles, only noting that the casks included double charred oak, PX sherry, and "unique BBQ casks." Obviously, it sounds like another one of their harebrained gimmicks, but the early reviews seemed positive, so what the hey? On the nose berries and charcoal smoke, ham, something vegetal. The palate is sweet with cinnamon sugar up front, strawberry jam, honey ham, tangy raspberry barbecue sauce, chocolate. The smoke builds and builds toward the the back end. It's more like barbecue smoke, but there's a little of the Ardbeg peaty signature in there too. The finish is sooty with a bit of dark chocolate and meaty barbecue tang. An Ardbeg special release under $100 is it's own special unicorn. And it's actually good! Compared to the regular releases, I think I'd put this slightly behind Oogie and Corry, but well ahead of An Oa. I did buy a second bottle though, so I clearly enjoy it. I'm going 4-4.25, but tempted to go higher on the rating because I want to give props to Ardbeg for actually finding a gimmick that works, and for releasing it at a reasonable price.