All articles filed in Ardbeg

[40%・22 Years Old・Distilled in 1978・Bottled in 2000・Gordon & MacPhail Bottling・Limited Release] Nose: Chocolate mousse with a hint of cream powder, faint splashes of cherry preserve and apple juice with this curious hint of burnt toast.  Some freshly plucked oyster and herbs with more fragrant fruity aromas. Palate & Finish: Light fruits with a brush of…

[46.0%・25 Years Old・Official Bottling・Limited Release] Nose: Mellow, delightful white fruits laced with faint hints of ash and finely dried coastal peat, some flannel seeds and a subtle layer of burnt oranges to create the depth.  The wood is elegant and soft, whilst the warming bonfire sensation subtly builds, the iodine is restrained and balanced by…

Style: Sweet, Smoky and Sophisticated Nose: Delicate lemon tart fuses with a beautiful body of peat smoke. Hint of dry hay, seaweed, orange confectionaries core with a zesty edge. Fruitiness embraced by a gentle, icy breeze. Subtle notes of smoked ham, ginger shreds, Maraschino cherry and liquorice root lurking at the back. Very nice. Palate:…

Style: Fruity and Elegant Nose: Dry coconut shreds and pineapple overseeing gentle amber smoke, I am getting a lot of “old-school” vibe here. Lemon zest, salt and pepper at work one level down. Vanilla oil, a touch of tar, all zinged up by citrus spice. Leather, wood incense combined with a touch of mineral notes…

Style: Vanilla fruits and Spicy Nose: A raw, higher power of spirit spice striking earthy, green medicinal top notes. Thin threads of kelp peat and smoked ham wrapping around a lesser fruity core – white peaches and dried apricots with a gentle lime zest around the edges. Vanilla orange notes slowly emerge while limestone dripping…

[51.6%・NAS・Bottled in 2018・Official Bottling・Limited Release] For more information on the story behind Ardbeg Grooves, please read my friends Mr. Andrew Derbidge’s post here and the Whisky Ledger’s post here. Nose: The dram starts off with sugary sweet peat, though it is also quite brine-y and seaweed-y with notes of seafood marinara.  The earthy smoke is well integrated and…

[46.6%・NAS・Bottled in 2017・Official Bottling・General Release] Nose: Earthy peat filling out the initial scene, it’s organic but it is not at all confronting.  Oomph of peat burning away like glowing coal toasting sheets of nori but at the same time it feels mellow and very much approachable with the sugary aromas, some fine vanilla followed by…

Style: Honey and Smoky Nose:  Begins with salty breeze, seaweed and soft mineral notes. Then unveiled the thick pancake stack steaming with honey maple syrup! Powerful spice, going slightly vegetative, aroma of sizzling pan fried onions and crisp bacon. A lick of strawberry jam at the bottom. A Scottish breakfast indeed! Palate: Heading happily to…

Style: Rich and Sweet Nose: Rich, invigorating aroma on the nose. Delicate but solid red fruits underlining the peat and maritime influences while the intensity is amped-up by dry mineral spices. Lovely milk chocolate and Limoncello striding across, while soft tropical fruits walking with mossy steps. Tarry peat smoke. Chilli flakes lightly scattered around for…

Style: Smoky and Peaty Nose: Citrusy spices aroma buzzing on the nose. Slightly tight and quite dry. Seaside minerals twinkling alongside with mossy peat. Light peppermint hue, lemon peels transfigure into subtle orange drops, the sweetness is rather soft and buried underneath with the malt. Palate: A rather herbal and sooty entrance on the palate.…