Powerfully peaty and immensely satisfying, Ardbeg's Corryvreckan is what happens when the distillery of Islay's Kildalton Coast aims to make a whisky with a particularly medicinal style than its usual expressions. Aptly named after a nearby whirlpool, Corryvreckan is an intense dram that we simply love.
Sticking plasters, buttery, creamy, roast chicken crisps, herbal, almost a hint of pine…
Cream, spices, tingling, fresh fruit, medicinal, plasters, Clementines. Orange peels.
Salty, more medicinal, smoked meats, peat is fleeting, tarmac, chilli, salt.
Astonishing.
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I have never tried such rough taste of any alcohol. Absolutely stunning taste of peat & pepper.
One of Ardbegs most peated whiskies. Great taste if you are into the smoky style. You may want to add a drop of water for the first glass to get used to it. Perfect holiday drink.
I meant to write French oak barriques, not French wine barriques. No more whisky for me!
I'll start by saying that I enjoy Islay malts and have enjoyed more bottles than I can remember. I hadn't tried this particular Ardbeg so I thought it about time that I did. Having read many reviews and savoured other Ardbegs in the past, I had high expectations. So, with Corryvreckan we have an NAS whisky presented at roughly 57.1%, non-chillfiltered but, strangely, not natural colour. It's a vatting of bourbon casks and french wine barriques and is described by Arbeg as their most "challenging". Now, I'm not sure that as I sit to relax and enjoy a dram that I want to be challenged. I do, though, love a big, meaty, peaty drams like Laproaig 10yo cask strength or a 50% 10yo Port Charlotte. However, I found this Corryvreckan to be a bit concocted in order to "challenge". Surprisingly, I found it to be a bit thin in body - not having the oily viscosity I was looking for. Yes, there was plenty of smoke and medicinal flavours but they didn't hang together well, I felt. Lastly, if you nose the empty glass once you've finished, there is an aroma that is not altogether pleasant which lingers in your nostrils. Puzzling! So I have my bottle and I'll finish it (obviously) but no more for me.
Really disappointing after Ardbeg 10, more expensive, but lacks character. Wood dominates, it tastes like matured in brandy casks, even though to my knowledge it´s not. In comparison to 10, it lacks that sweet, smoky, oily and peaty flavour of 10. Not too burning, somehow thin, water adds nothing to it. Aftertaste is a bit similar than Laphroaig OCs smoky ash and tar, but only a distant echo of it, very lame. If you are a friend of smoky and peaty Islay whisky, avoid this. With that price tag, I would never recommend this whisky to anyone.
