Ardbeg Corryvreckan

When choosing an obtainable higher proof Ardbeg, I’ve opted for the Uigeadail a couple times because it seemed like the consensus said it was better than the Corry. But this has been back on my radar ever since @skillerified described it as like dragon’s breath (great description, btw!). Unfortunately, with prices for this now north of $100 I haven’t been a buyer. But I recently happened upon a dusty box marked $82 and pulled the trigger. The laser date shows it was bottled in 2016, which explains the dust. On the nose, briny smoke, onion soup, smoked kippers, smidge of iodine, lemon and orange peels, vanilla, caramel. The palate does well with a splash of water to tame the heat. Much of the same notes from the nose, along with some coffee grounds and dark chocolate. Maybe a hint of berry. The texture is nice. On the finish sweet wood, pepper, smoke and ash, lingering sweetness. Ardbeg seems to catch a lot of flak for their gimmicky special releases, but their core range is very solid. Like others, I’d currently rank the Corry slightly below Oogie, but I’m early into this bottle and could imagine my rankings flip flop by the end of it.

Honey, pepper, molasses, crispy pork shank

Nose: fresh oak, smoke, char, a bit of fruit, vanilla, cream. Palate: sweet, smoky, peppery, oak. Leather and tobacco. Adding water brings out the smoothness and sweetness more. Finish: drying, oak, phenols.

First time with a scotch like this Subtle briney nose. Some smoke. Palette: set upfront. Does not drink its proof. More brine and heavy smoke, apricot and bacon, finish is smoky and like a lemon soaked in salt.