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.
I took me a while years ago to first develop a taste for Scotch and that was drinking blended whiskey with water.(I know...pollution!) I later traveled to Scotland and have never had blended again. I've been trying different single malts the last few years and have enjoyed all. This was my first bottle of an Islay ,and a heavily peated Scotch , and wow....wakes up every sense in one's mouth and throat! Very strong and different but I need to work on my taste for peaty whiskey. Half way through the bottle now and working diligently on on it! Steven from Vermont.
This whisky is absolutely in my top 5 of all-time whisky's. Every whisky enthousiast should have a bottle at hand. Yes it is powerful, smoky, peaty and medicinal but the tast is deep long and lingering and somewhat delicate as well.
If you rate this less than 3 stars, please stay away - your opinion is utterly useless.
First, you need to love peated scotch. If you are a Glenmorengie lover you will probably find this one too smoky. That being said, for islay lover, this one is paradise. I've tried many, Lagavulin 12, 16, double matured, bowmore, benriach, talisker. This one, is just so well balanced. I love it. Even if it is cast strenght, i drink it neet while i have to put a hint of water in benriach. Usually, i try my scotch in 2 glasses; the whisky and the scotch glasses. This one if beautiful in both. Smoky, hint of caramel and dark chocolat, hint of iodine on the nose but not much in palate. I place it with my favorite Lagavulin 12 & Double Matured.
This one is always in my Scotch cabinet! This is an example how a great tasting peaty Islay single malt should be! Great nose, but peaty when just poured, but softens in time and the smell of dark sugar and a herbal touch comes to live. At cask strength it's smooth enough to sip as it comes, but for me a few drops of water really brings things to live. Taste is rather sweet and smoky, peaty of course, great stuff. Long, long very nice finish, nice and spicy. Someone here says Lahproaig QC beats the Oogie but I disagree: they are both really outstanding value for money, but they differ enough tasted side by side (as I just did) Love 'm both though, as 99% of all stuff leaving either Ardbeg of Lahproaig is great!
