Ardbeg Fermutation

This release is the result of a crazy incident in which the whisky market accidentally overheated and someone at Ardbeg turned the price dial up to 11 by mistake. This means the wee sample in my possession is probably the extent of my embrace of the latest Ardbeg one-off, so let’s put aside the price controversy and try to enjoy the moment. Lemon, salt, pineapple and cream combine on the nose to remind me of the classic teatime Lemon Puff biscuits. The overall effect is quite breezy, with lots of space between the flavors and plenty of volume to the individual notes. There’s a needle sharp prick of peat and some malty notes in the background. It’s classic 10-year-old Ardbeg territory more than anything far off the usual path, slightly reminiscent of Auriverdes if my memory serves me right. In the mouth, the spirit is crisp and citrusy at first, before it turns tangy and sour like a gooseberry or goldenberry. Those sour notes linger pleasantly for a while on the finish. There’s not much peat or smoke to speak of, but the ABV carries the flavors perfectly. We can debate the price in the comments, but that aside it’s a worthy addition to the spectrum of Ardbeg flavor profiles and I’d be quite happy to own a bottle.