Ardbeg Ardcore

Super earthy aroma, damp soil and moss. Smells green and alive. The ardbeg velvety richness hits right from the start, creamy and spreading the flavors all around. Heavy peat and spice, and then in between the initial hit and the tail that damp earthy tone hits for just a bit. The flavors are a journey, sweetness underneath the earth tones. The mix is a little discordant, but I still love it. Powerful, rich, weird. God I love ardbeg.

Not the best-value Ardbeg I’ve had, but a nice change of pace anyway. For me, it’s more roasted, malty, and swampy than the others. Intense and full palate of — what? — maybe beer and chocolate. The finish lingers and has a pasta aspect. It sounds a lot more disjointed than it is; the strong barley and peat unify things.