Tastes

If Laphroaig is a three course dinner of peat, seaweed, barley/cereal, and citrus, then Ardbeg would be a peat-themed dinner with cereal and seaweed in supporting roles; It's a different kind of peat goodness, and I prefer since I don't get the pronounced lemony citrus flavor I get in Laphroaig.

Very easy sipping and goes great along with friends: smooth, sweet, fruity, and honeyed.

This is probably the most interesting whisky I've had so far, and hopefully, I probably don't say that too often. At first, I expected this to be not too atypical from something like as lightly-peated Highland single malt on the nose with some briskety peat on the first whiff of this whisky. Then I noticed that it was pronounced, but then I noticed there were grassy and herbal notes to this peatiness. It didn't take long for me to pick up apples, pear, honey, sugary frosted cake - like a red velvet - and milk that has developed some sweetness halfway towards its expiration date. It's a milky, full bodied whisky from start to finish tasting like apples, pears, and honey after an initial jab of smoked brisket, ending in green apples (skin and flesh) with a delightful malty sweetness that comes off as fruity and cakey, and a tanginess somewhat reminiscent of blue cheese.