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.
Wow!....what a brilliant whiskey, tastes like it should cost more
And you can also drink it without water! Very difficult for a gask strength Islay whisky but you can and you SHOULD drink it straight.
Believe the hype. This dram is so smooth you can't even tell that it is cask strength. pure quality
This took me to a fine place on the very first sip
It may seem laughable to call this an "affordable" whisky. It's usually far more expensive than most drinkers are willing to pay for, particularly here in Australia. However, this is, in some ways, at a perfect point of price versus quality. You can pay much more for something less complex and worthwhile, and of course, paying less, you will usually get something less engaging than this. This whisky is almost the perfect balance of things that aficionados talk about as counting towards a quality dram. Naturally, it has the peaty punch, being Ardbeg, but it also has a welter of flavours beyond that. You can taste leather, cured meat, rich and dark compost to name a few. But lo and behold, the sherry finish has also given it a delicious sweetness that almost perfectly tempers those more pungent flavours. For those trying to get a sense of it, it might best be described as a less iodine-laden Ardbeg, married with a small amount of Glenmorangie Lasanta, which is particularly apparent on the finish. It is best to taste this one neat, then add some water to taste. Despite its high alcohol content, it doesn't need that much to open it up even more. If you're even considering buying this, then you simply must. Your tastebuds will thank you for it and you will surely have one of the most rewarding flavour experiences you've had. It's worthwhile to note that this has something for everyone, not only the peatheads. And yes, it's better than the standard 10 year. MUCH better. It's hard to top this.
