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 wonder if it's the strength and the degree to which it's peated that makes it a challenge for me. I get extreme peat smoke and menthol and that's about it. If I add more water, it thins too much: If I add less, it melts my face. An indication as to what I'm missing would be gratefully received but, until that happens, I'm finding the 10 year more complex.
One of my favourites. Very subtle nose, surprisingly not overpowered by the alcohol. I won't list a load of esoteric flavours - I'm keeping it simple. There's band aid (yes , really!) and, for me, unlike most here, the first hit of flavour is definitely sweet, and I mean sweeter than oogie. Then there is a lovely smokiness and the whole thing is very smooth - definitely not firey and certainly smoother than Lagavullin 16 yr old. The more I taste whisky the more I come to believe that no two people will have the same set of taste experiences.
Appearance - tawny Coatline - very thin, almost not there. Legs - take a long time to run, when they do very slow and very thin. Indicates presence of oils and a heavy whisky because the legs take so long to run and run slowly - high ABV. Nose - oily, chocolate, buttery, peat, infusion of pine, aromas seem to alter at each visit. Palate - salty, oily, winey, cream, butter, chocolate, reflecting finish in a wine cask, Tarmac right at the end. Finish - medium length, oily, chilli, some Peating, orange peel after a while Conclusion - not as peaty as the 10 year old IMO. Very multilayered. Worth the money. Getting a bit elusive apparently
I can't rate this highly enough. It has everything you could want in an Islay whisky and nothing you don't. The finish goes on and on. Compared to the Laphroaig QC/18, my previous favorites, it's far more "unctuous": meaty, oily, greasy. *Slightly* less smokey, maybe, when consumed at same ABV as Laphroaig, though bottled at cask strength so you can dial up the smoke if you want. It's still a top-5 smokiest out there. Laphroaig 18 still has its place though, kind of 1a and 1b with this one. Compared to Uigeadail, more punch. Oogy is softer and fruitier; there's potential there but to me a bit bland. Compared to Octomore, more everything; Octomore, sure, has *marginally* more smoke but woefully inadequate in everything else and ridiculously overpriced as a gimmick. I don't care for the 10 (lychee yuck) or any Lagavulin (stale mushrooms yuck) for whatever reason so won't bother comparing. This has no lychee or stale mushrooms for the record. Man this finish is still going.
Just an incredible flavour. Peat and smoke abound. Not an every day pour, but my word what a treat.
