A phenomenal whisky packing powerful peaty deliciousness, Ardbeg 10 Year Old is a favourite of many whisky lovers around the world. Produced on the Kildalton Coast of Islay, this single malt matures for a decade before being bottled without any chill-filtration. If you're after a whisky full of coastal air, smoke and more, this is exactly what you want.
A ridge of vanilla leads to mountain of peat capped with citrus fruits and circled by clouds of sea spray.
Sweet vanilla counterbalanced with lemon and lime followed by that surging Ardbeg smoke that we all know and love.
Long and glorious; sea salted caramel and beach bonfire smoke.
Precise balance, big smoke and non-chill filtered. This is why this is such a famous dram.
Legs run very slowly and are fairly thick. A medium aged whisky rich in oil. Plenty of character and complex Nose is Bonfire Peat, vanilla, Limey zest. Some liquorice. Palate is initially sweet, then bonfire peat, chilli. Finish is long and smokey then dry. This is the best smokey peated malt. The strong presence of guaiacol phenolic compounds giving smoke overpowers the o-cresol phenols, so if medicinal is only slightly so. Reminiscent of domestic peat fires in aroma.
I can't believe how many reviews of Islay single malts I read online where people say "I couldn't stand the taste so i tipped it down the sink". You tipped it down the sink? seriously? and all because what? you didn't like it? Guess what... you paid money for that bottle of whisky, YOU PAID TAX ON THAT BOTTLE OF WHISKY!!! and you go and tip it down the sink just because you didn't like it.... let me ask you people... did you even give it a chance to open up properly? probably not.... did you ever think that maybe you're palate just needed a bit more time to adjust to the Islay style? probably not... You people really need to start refining your palates and properly enjoying whisky rather than just looking to get smashed all the time... if you're palate is too underdeveloped to enjoy the Islay style than go back to your Johnnie Walker Red Label because that's about as advanced as your palates are ever going to get.
Bought this whisky on my way back from Thailand. What a surprise when I poured my first glass, how light the whisky was, but what a surprise with my first glass the amazing taste of spice , chocolate, coffee and peat were unreal. A superb whisky and one I will certainly buy again.
A few years ago I reviewed this whisky and gave it a low score. Forgive me. I was new to whisky and Islays in particular. The whisky has not changed but my palate surely has. Ardbeg provides a nice peaty kick in the face. Just what I need some times.
Ardbeg is the best...
