Tastes

Light, lemon flavors and a nose like a summer meadow. Perfect sipper for a balmy night.

Now this is more like it! A roar where the non-committee releases whimpers. A deep molasses aroma brings to mind slow-cooked brisket basted in mesquite sauce. Its texture is almost syrupy, coating the mouth in dark chocolate flavors and sherry notes that finish on a satisfying downbeat rather than a sugary high. The ambers of the fire that cooked the brisket linger, yet it's disarmingly smooth despite the high proof. Perhaps the first Ardbeg in a long time that can challenge Uigeadail as a daily drinker, despite the higher price.

The burnt caramel of a creme brûlée plus the yeasty goodness of banana bread. Yum!

Is this a whisky or a rosé? You could be forgiven for asking yourself that when this Madeira cask finish is sitting in the glass, blushing at its audacity. A delicate berry bouquet extends the illusion for a beat, until the classic Laphroaig aromas stamp their presence on the occasion. The fruity notes continue in the mouth, with strawberry and Luxardo maraschino cherries sandwiching the signature smoke. It's a more satisfying blend than the Portwood edition or the PX, if not in the same league as the 2014 Cairdeas.

Oak nose

It's hard to disengage from the extraordinary nose on this rye, which has layers of perfume, banana, orgeat and other tiki flavors topped with a dash of pepper. When you eventually remember that the contents of your glass are there to drink you get a funky mix of Szechuan peppers and guava, served on a rain-soaked deck as the sun dries the wood. Searingly spicy, it finishes long and dry. Water tames the heat and brightens the tropical notes. Curiously compelling and somewhat eccentric, it's quite unlike other ryes of its age. (PS: I'm offering samples on Bottle-Spot if you're interested in trying it.)