Ardbeg Perpetuum Distillery Release

I received a healthy dram from a good friend who likes to share good whisky. Pretty incredible and a real treat. It's distinctly Ardbeg, but I can't say if it's worth the price because I've no idea what he paid for it or what it's going for. If you like Islay though, certainly don't pass an opportunity to try it.

Smoky nose. Very smooth.bought as a sample from Ardbeg.

Bourbon & Sherry Casks Dark chocolate, piney, a bit of green coffee, & a little oaky.

Smells strongly of marshmallows or some other sort of soft dessert. Pudding or something similar. Richness in the body is similar, but flavor is less peat forward. Light sweetness, carried into the tail. A bit of burn but mostly sweet vanilla and maybe fruit. Marshmallow.

Perpetuum was the first Ardbeg special release to disappoint me, but this distillery-only version goes some way to redeeming it. Not only is it a higher ABV, but it’s also drawn from a subset of the casks used for the general release. Rich raisins and gasoline mark the nose. In the mouth, there are flavors of figs and cocoa powder. The finish leans towards 100% dark chocolate. Pretty good, but as always with Ardbeg the special releases face a high hurdle to outperforming the core line-up.

Drammers Club pour. Highlight pour exceeding quality of 19 Traigh Bahn and Dark Cove core release. Has notes of Berries, Raisins, Chocolate, Almonds, Smoke, Pepper, Pineapple, Passion Fruit, Cherry, Caramel, Cashews, Walnuts, Hazlenuts, Citrus, and Mango