For Halloween Ice Scream – horror truck parks at St James Quarter

Whisky lovers are in for a treat this Halloween as a monstrous creation rolled into Edinburgh where St James Quarter 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 26-31 October. Today it is parked in the pedestrian area on Castle Street.

All photos Greg Macvean

The flavours have been 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

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.”