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.
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This is already an established classic. I have very little to add except that while I like it very much, it is not.. quite... complete. Few whiskies have the oomph that this has. It is impressive. And it's by no means a one-dimensional, thin dram. There's a lot to enjoy. Peat certainly, but you can taste the barley, the sea and even some sweetness. But this.... focus rather deprives the whole palate. Lately I've been concentrating as much on which parts of my mouth the taste is found as on which tastes there are. This dram is satisfying because it is straight down the middle, but it is less open, less airy and relaxed than I would like. I will update after the bottle has breathed for a few days.
When they changed the recipe 10 years ago, and ruined Ardbeg 10, I mourned, as they just killed my favourite whisky. Then I found this....and rejoiced. It's everything Ardbeg should be. Tar, phenols, smoke, iodine. This is rich, pungent, strong, take no prisoners whisky. It's not really like other Islays. It's it's own bag of weird, and I absolutely love it.
When I opened my one and only bottle, I couldn’t decide whether I smelled road tar or a skunk. Barely made it through the bottle and had a hard time foisting it on my friends. Also kept it away from an open flame. Sorry, but never bought another one.
Wonderful wonderful stuff. Having tried so many of the Ardbeg limited releases but I always go back to this as my favourite The finish is the stage out, lip smacking and makes you crave more. Beautifully complex layers throughout
Just the best Islay style whisky on the planet for me, complex Smokey with loads of layers of flavour. The intensity at times almost too much then another flavour bursts through, a true taste journey, a real treat.
