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Ardbeg
Scotland
Single Malt
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A limited edition Ardbeg released during the Fèis Ìle whisky festival. Aged in a combination of bourbon as well as some Manzanilla sherry casks, it was produced for 'Ardbog Day', which was celebrated around the world on 1st June 2013.
This bottle was part of a private collection - if you'd like more detailed photos just get in touch!
Sea salt and brine with some dark fruit and hints of barbecue. Maple syrup, plum, orange, mint and more herbal notes with a touch of tomato vine. White coffee develops.
Big - it feels like all the moisture is being sucked out of your mouth at first but in a good way(!). Salt crusted raisins, rich nuttiness, pickled onions. Sounds odd but it’s honestly superb!
There's red chilli heat on the finish as well as paprika.
Ardbeg should be celebrated for their measured use of Manzanilla casks here - one of the best bottlings at Fèis Ìle 2013.
A ranch-like scent and a clear burnt odor. Burnt smell, sweetness, faint seaweed when included in the mouth. Its smell of peat is unique to Ardbeg. The after taste is sweet like cookies.
On several occasions where we tasted many high end - quality Whiskeys, This Ardbog was the best to end with. The taste is so intense, that it would easily dominate more fine and smooth Whiskeys. Now thát says a lot oubout the character. I am not saying its the best, i am saying that this one is one, u cant miss having!
Nose is bold with hints of sherry and stone fruits, strong overtones of marshmallows and burnt sugar. Not a strong peat, but hints of earth and grass. The saltiness that seems to be a part of the core Ardbeg expressions are limited here by the overwhelming sweet tones - much more so than even than Uigeadail. Palate is pungent and overwhelmingly alcoholic - likely because the more subdued sherry notes in the flavor aren't masking the alcohol in the way the heavy sherry notes do in Uigeadail. The alcohol breaks for a warm, earthy, wheat flavor in the center; reminiscent of the smell of water grasses and wetland mornings. Finish retains the pungent alcoholic flavor with a strong emphasis on the wine like tannin feel (imparts a bitterness which is very satisfying alongside the sherry notes) as the liquor evaporates away, leaves you with a nutty, peppery flavor like you might find on piece of meat encrusted with red pepper flakes. Paprika and phenolic sweetness. Overall, this is an excellent Ardbeg that plays hard and loose with the core expression characteristics by departing from the profile of the Uigeadail. This malt emphasizes much more subdued sherry tones and placing the bitterness of a good sherry to the forefront of the palate, thereby allowing the more peppery flavors traditionally associated with Ardbeg to the finish. Without consideration of price, this bottle would be a 94/100, but considering that this is a limited release and was considerably more expensive, I'd have to give it an 89/100. For the money (about twenty dollars less), the Uigeadail is still the superior drink. The stronger emphasis on sherry tones and fruity balance to the overwhelming peat and density of the Ardbeg whisky is preferable in the Uigeadail.
Very citrus- You clearly have not tried this bottle, as Ardbog tastes nothing like bourbon. Your review is misleading. It tastes more like a complex uigeadail, probably due to better ageing. And lets not forget won gold in the world whisky awards.
This is coming from an Ardbeg fan. I've had many of their variations. This is probably the worst I've had. That being said, everyone has their own tastes. It's has a moderate orange flavor and is very thick. Taste is very reminiscent of bourbon. If that's something you like this may be for you. But if your mouth favors Ardbeg 10 or uigeadail -- then I'd pass on this one.
