Ardbeg Alligator

Ardbeg Alligator Untamed Release. 2011 is an intense, Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Islay 'aged in a similar style to the standard 10-year-old, except for the fact that a portion of the whisky was aged in heavily charred American white oak barrels. The barrels are charred to such an extent that they start to crack a little on the inside, & this resembles alligator skin. It has a creamy & aromatic birth with notes of charcoal, mulled wine, lemon icing sugar, vanilla, yogurt, BBQ, hints of gingerbread, tangy apricots & burning brown sugar. While a creamy & zesty life adds notes of grapefruit, lemon, BBQ sauce, ginger & orange zest. leather, hints of icing sugar, cocoa, gingernut biscuits & smoke. That led to a long, sweet & creamy death with notes of pepper & smoldering peat. December 2018 / March 2019 / August 2022

Nose: classic ardbeg peat, a strong vanilla, potent smoke, Palate: beautiful, sharp char and smoke, vanilla, custard, a sweet malt, mocha, peaty. Caramel. Salinity. Finish: hazy smoke, salt air, leather, light vanilla and barrel tannins.

N: sweet, sherry M: vanilla, sweet

Some whiskies are just a Myth. Long lost legends that pass through generations, where people who have tasted them tell the younger enthusiasts that there was a whisky once that blew their minds. In Ardbeg's case, such whisky is called "Alligator". A not-so-old special limited edition, Ardbeg Alligator was released back in 2011; it seems like yesterday, but 12 long years have passed. It was named that way becaused Dr. Bill Lumdsen matured it in heavily charred oak casks, so heavily charred that the internal wood broke a little forming ducts or grooves where the whisky moved, talking to the oak, interacting with the molecules of the staves. Bottled at 51.2%abv. On the nose, it is simply spectacular. Starts with a note of a new pair of cotton socks; cotton candy, povydine, really wonderful, interesting aroma. Coffee, dulce de leche, like a cup of expresso. IT SMELLS EXACTLY LIKE TARGET, THE RETAIL STORES. Scotch tape, caramelized bacon and meat. After a first sip, it gave me gunpowder on the nose, swamp, wet plants. The palate is incredible, very sweet. Unexpected. Dulce de leche, vanilla, toffee, marshmallows, everything wrapped up in pepper. The second sip gave me smoke and pepper. Aftertaste was a perfect closure for this dram. I actually wrote in my notes "this **** is great!". It is brown sugar with smoke. A salt bomb, rubber, moss. It is a lovely punch to your face. Overall, let me tell you this, and i am serious: this might be the best Ardbeg i have ever had. And i have had a lot. Maybe some Supernova expressions might debate that statement, but a true fact here is that this legendary dram is exactly what "the folk" said about it. Such an incredible whisky deserves a perfect score. This is a 100 in my books. Sláinte!!!

Powerful explosion of cinnamon and pepper on taste. Not quite as rich as corry but still wonderful. Finish for days. Amazing dram.