Single Malt
Scotland
No
Yes
This stunning expression from Islay's Ardbeg distillery on the Kildalton Coast is named after a nearby loch (pronounced "Oog-a-dal"). It's the perfect example of how sweet and savoury notes can work together spectacularly - you'll find Ardbeg's maritime salinity intact here, combined with dried fruit notes imparted by time spent in sherry casks. Kind of like when you mix sweet popcorn and salty popcorn together, it results in something absolutely wonderful.
Multifaceted, notes of peat and little flourishes of dark sugar, freshly ground espresso beans, cereal notes and a most sophisticated tar.
Led by sweet, ripe fruit and black forest honey. A good helping of malt. The throne then usurped by a powerful peat and smoked barley.
Very long, caramel and malt weave their way through peat smoke and dark sugar and just a hint of fresh espresso coffee before it finally peters out.
Such deft balance! How wonderful to sample Ardbeg so beautifully complimented by sherry.
all islay whiskies are brilliant, but this particular one i can highly recommended to anyone, best islay whisky for me.
The nose is one of the best I'be ever experienced. It's rich and peaty, everything you'd want from an Islay whisky. Unfortunately the taste was a letdown for me as the fiery peat is just impenetrable. There's a very good whisky sitting behind that peat, but I just couldn't find it. I've even reserved judgement until I've finished the bottle. This is doubly disappointing given the hype surrounding this whisky!
I've only been drinking quality whisky for less than a year, and I've now progressed to this this. It's fabulous. Jim Murray gave it 97.5 and nothing has ever had higher. I can understand why.
love islay whisky..especially the Lagavulin 16yr..and distillers editions...but this is just simply superb. ...
Full disclosure: I LOVE the corry. This one is similar but a little too sweet. Basically like the corry, but with a little sherry added to it. You still get all the peaty goodness, but in my mind it's an odd combination. If I want a sherry-y scotch I'll get a sherry-y scotch, and if I want a peaty scotch I'll go with an Islay standard. This is somewhere in between and just not doing it for me. But it does definitely add some dimension to your typical Islay scotches so I can see how it would be well-received. I just prefer the more subtle (other than peat) dimensions of the corry. Still, this is quite good and I'd take it any day over many more expensive bottles.
