Ardbeg Corryvreckan

Revisit of an old friend. When last I had this I found it good, but much preferred Uigeadail, and couldn't understand the buzz over this less expressive, and more expensive, cousin. It's been a while, and Ooogy's allure seems to have a slid a bit while the price points have closed. Lets see what we have today. It does look nice in the glass - a dark amber akin to natural maple syrup, but there is no lace at rest, and a swirl quickly dissolves to thin tendrils that scurry down in short order. Nose is dry grass and dry salt with a minerality that I always associate with Ardbeg. Return trips tease out cut apples and very light peach, but the ethanol lingers just below the rim and quickly punishes a nose that goes too deep. Palate is more pleasing, and while it's obviously Ardbeg, it's also so much more There's a refinement here that isn't present in the 10 or the An Oa. It's not brash, not loud. All the flavors are there, the fresh cut hay, the dank workshop by the sea, the peat nipping at all the corners and sometimes the middle as well. But the flavors are more cohesive, more orchestral instead of shouty. And there's also a richness that borders on sweet which isn't present in the 10 or An Oa, and is less prevalent in the Uigeadail. It's like Ardbeg that has put on grown up clothes, maybe a collared shirt and smoking jacket over slacks, but still sporting the Chuck Tailors so people don't think it's become stodgy. The longer this sits, the better it gets. 20 minutes in the glass and the nose is the same elements, but the ethanol isn't going to wipe you out any more. The palate adds a savory meatiness, balancing the dry grass, peat smoke and sweet fruits. The close is dry smoke, and it lingers nicely, pestering for another sip. Water enhances the brine, but also the heat, and on balance I prefer neat. This is a nice drink. In its price range I think it's outclassed by a lot of others, but it is a unique spin on Ardbeg, and if you've never had it you shouldn't pass it up if offered.