Ardbeg Kelpie

Super pleasant and approachable for an Islay. Smokey (of course) with some spice and a sweet caramel finish.

This is heaven in a glass. Everything an Islay scotch drinker that loves brine and smoke could ever want. Nose is earthy almost vegetal peat smoke (like 1/2 highland and 1/2 normal islay ardbeg peat), smoked meat, peppered bacon, vanilla, honey, sea spray, lemon zest. Taste is really where this whisky shines as the black oak gives a rush of a sweetness and honey first, followed by fruit and then the smoke, citrus bite and barrel spice kick in almost a high rye bourbon/rye whisky spice, followed up by the salty briny quality and ends in oak. The finish as with most peated Islays is loooonggg. The spice is the first to die out and the brine and mild oak along with the peat smoke and honey are the ones that hang around the longest. The end of the finish leaves you with just the salt brine and honey after taste. Like a very intense and more interesting Caol Ila 12. Too bad this wasn't sustainable as a core range. From what I'm told the Corryvrecken is almost like this without the sweetness and more spice. Consolation prize I guess when my three bottles of this angel are gone. Always hope though for a bring back as committee release supernova 5.0 hit shelves.

Tastes of the sea. Bit of seaweed and salt Smell can be off putting to some

Ardbeg and fish? Lets give it a shot. Nose - Pepper, even smoke, a bit of a fishy brine at the back end. I'm also getting distinct slightly burnt caramel. Taste - I don't to just start with this is 46% and it's hitting me as having too much alcohol. That's really disappointing. Similarly, I'm getting pepper, spices likely from the unique european oak used here. It's astringent, punchy, and frankly it leaves me not wanting to go back for another sip. Upfront it's a bold sweetness but god each time it goes back into this harsh bitter note and then I get hit with alcohol burn as if this is an extremely young whisky. Alcohol brings out more of the fishy element, it still is bitter, peppery, and now the sweetness up front which was nice is gone. The finish is more cigarette ash smoke with some charcoal thrown in. I can't get past how young this tastes, it's got some new make grain like elements and just terrible casks. I keep hoping this will change and everytime I go back I feel like I enjoy it less. 1 star - there's good stuff here so i can't go below a 1 where I'm more or less saying it's undrinkable and bad, but this is a strong pass.