Ardbeg's Wee Beastie is a youthful single malt drawn from a combination of ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, bottled up at five years of age. Peaty notes sit at the fore for this one, with oak somewhat taking a back seat, since... Well, y'know, it didn't stay inside those casks for too long. However, don't mistake that for meaning Wee Beastie is an uncomplex expression. It still packs a satisfying flavour profile that should impress many of the Ardbeg aficionados out there.
There’s sea spray, rock pools, smoked malt and damp bonfire wood initially which waves of sweet and slightly vegetal smoke powers through. Hints of brown sugar, pear drops, a little vanilla and cooked apple add sweetness among notes of spare ribs, lemon sherbet, black pepper and wood shavings. I love this nose, it’s smoky and musty and like standing by a seaside bonfire.
The palate is very pleasantly sweet and salty. Citrus oils and orchard fruits are present along with an unmistakable dark berry tartness which is joined by plenty of damp peat and dry wood smoke. Adding depth there’s pepper steak, creosote and then some touches of clove and liquorice. In the back-end, there’s a juicy sweetness from lychee and peaches as well as just a touch of salted caramel.
The finish is exceptionally long and oily. It’s a bit like sucking on a lemon sherbet and taking a great big whiff of some freshly cut peat, to be honest. While standing on a beach. Lovely.
As well as adding gifts to lucky MoM orders, #WhiskySanta is granting wishes on social media every day! Hit the button above and let them know what you'd like. It could be yours!
Was: £67.90Now: £64.95
I wouldn't recognize a true classic Scotch whiskey if I was struck on the head with the bottle. My Americanized taste has had me drinking sissy blends. But now as a grownup I'm branching out, tasting Wee Beastie for the first time. Nose: peat, fresh pine cuttings, nearby farm animals, Palate: The palate is very sharp and assaults one's senses. Yellow pine sap and peat clotted boots come to mind, smoke and creosote overwhelm. Finish: The finish belies the variety of casks and drums this potent spirit rest in. Upon recovering from the first sip, nay slug, of this special experience, I was unable to put the bottle down.
Most surprisingly delicious, slightly sweet, but very nice
Very good, real whisky, not synthetic. The best sipping whisky I've ever tasted. Very peaty and smoky. I would rather have one bottle of this than two of anything else you would get in Tesco or Asda.
It’s smokey, it’s got a harsh edge in terms of taste, but a smooth mouth feel. It’s like the wild younger cousin of the Ardbeg 10 (which is much more tame and smooth in comparison). Peat monsters will like it, maybe even love it. Others might just want a taste and not a bottle. Love it for what it is, not what it isn’t. I personally love it (both the lack of smooth and the level of smoke).
This 'should not have been bottled'. Certainly not @ this price. Gristy like a ball of grist. Dense unpleasant grainy umami, very grainy, very in-your-face. Dirty clay, as someone mentioned below, like grimy city puddles. I was expecting something much more refined here, where they had, despite the age of the malt, managed to produce something nice and drinkable. It is not. This is a peaty, higher abv% Famous Grouse. Nasty. [@] least the 2022 bottling that I bought was. Thank you.
