Ardbeg 1976 Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon & MacPhail)

On new years eve  i opened one of my most valuable miniatures. A Gordon & Macphail bottling of Ardbeg, vintage 1976, 23yo expression. Bottled in 1999, this one of those famous "map labels" from the Connoisseurs Choice range of Gordon & Macphail's whiskies. 40%abv, golden color. On the nose, it starts with a nice Brownies note; Old Orange peel and moss. Swampy aroma, wet ashtray and medicinal ancestral herbs.Quite interesting and fun. Salted water/Iodine. After some sips, the ashy note became crazy. On the palate, some orange caramel and tons of salt. Pleasant red chilli. Actually it starts pretty sweet. The third sip gave me marshmallows, cotton candy and lots of sugar. Very different profile for what you typical expect from Ardbeg. Finish is all about ashes and salt. Definitively red chilli in a spectacular way. The peatiness is herbal. The third sip gave me a sugar rush that i havent felt in any Ardbeg before. Earthy, sweet, hay, moss, salt, pepper. Overall, this one was quite a ride. For a 40%abv dram, it is very complex and full of flavor. I believe this has various layers of tasting and aroma notes, but definitively the nose is the best part. My score for this beauty is 93 over 100.