Ardbeg Arrrrrrrdbeg!

It’s fine

I think I’ve finally arrived at the post hype stage of my ardbeg relationship. I’ve been so disappointed with pretty much every special release since blaaack, that my default stance is to expect to be disappointed. So when I finally got around to pouring the half bottle I shared with a mate (with a full one locked up for enjoying later) I was prepared to be underwhelmed. The nose is very intriguing. Vanilla, sweet candy and peppermint spice with swirls of wood smoke. Im surprised how sweet it is on arrival. Wood smoke and mild peat kick in, but don’t overwhelm. The spices from the rye really round this dram into form. It’s very good. Might be one of my favorite special releases in recent years. Surely ahead of scorch, ardcore, hypernova. It’s a solid sendoff for Mickey.

L’explosion cendrée typique à Ardbeg surprend quelque peu puisqu’un nez de verdure épicée et fumée la précède. On pense même à un soupçon de mezcal au début, puis la bouche nous amène à la signature de la maison. Avec un peu de temps et d’eau, un pain frais apparaît au nez, avec un peu de fenouil anisé, puis la fumée devient de plus en plus enveloppante. Pas mal bon, même délicieux, mais quand même pas assez mémorable comparé à d’autres whiskies d’Ardbeg.

Oh hell yeah! Smoky peaty nose but mild sweet taste. I want moar!

Spicy, peaty, minty, malty (one of the more delicate Ardbegs)

Rating: 18/23 N: It takes a couple of minutes for this to come out, but I get the usual Ardbeg tar mixed with a handful of black pepper, brine, a bit of rye tartness. There's some minerality that brings in a little bit of light, papery sweetness. With it, some roast lamb and a bit of a floral-bitter take on a paperiness meeting wet cardboard. That brine starts turning a bit vegetal and the profile lightens. P: I don't remember what the gimmick here was supposed to be, but I'm guessing from the name that rum casks were used. I don't pick up much of the molasses rum sweetness I expected though. Instead, this is kind of briny with some vegetal notes, suggesting youth and/or rhum agricole. This doesn't taste at all as youthful as Ardbeg The Wee Beastie though since that horrible sulphur is gone. There's a spicy pepperiness that mixes black pepper with a bit of sichuan peppercorns. In there, there's a bit of savory smoked meat. Of course, there's a bitter, tarry peat later, with smoke rising out of it. The thing though is that with that spiciness and dryness I also get a substantial rye character. It's lighter than the peated malt flavor for sure, but it explains the minerality and tartness. Really, what this is reminding me of a lot now is Whistlepig PiggyBack. I could still be wrong and there are rhum agricole barrels in the mix here, but I'm thinking young-ish high-rye barrels. F: Peppery with that rhum agricole vegetal character and a bit of brine. Smoke wafts throughout, with a bit of numbing peat. - Conclusion - This is a solid dram. It's edgier and funkier than Ardbeg 10, though it also tastes kind of less mature and, naturally, less refined. The Ardbeg 10 is more composed with a clearer identity. This seems like a fun one-off and a can't say that I necessarily find Ardbeg 10 better, but considering that this is a special release, I don't find it amazingly compelling. That said, the complexity here is quite nice. I love all of the layers to contemplate. It's restrained from what it could have been in terms of fullness and richness, but as a result I can get all sorts of swirling flavors. The question now is: what do I rate this? I can't imagine it being below a 17, but it's also not blowing my mind, so it's no 21 or higher. Laphroaig 10 (17) is not quite on the same level as this. That said, as I come back for my final sip of this, the tart, minty, briny, mineral (sort of rye, actually) aspects of it start to seem a little much. I think an 18 is most appropriate. Thank you @pkingmartin for sharing this one! I really enjoyed the rye character in it and it's made me start wondering about the potential of peated ryes and rye finishes. Did I ever check what this is actually finished in? Not sure. But I sure like how that character that reminds me of a dry, spicy, herbal rye.