Ardbeg Grooves is my third go with the Ardbeg annual releases. The Perpetuum and the Kelpie were both solid. The older releases are hard to come by nowadays, and are usually only available for twice the original MSRP, so I’ll try to keep that in mind when I consider VFM. Let’s get into it. Nose: Vanilla custard, toffee, and dark chocolate. Bandaid, iodine, sulfur, campfire smoke. Tennis ball. Hookah and ballpark soft pretzel. As it rests, the coastal notes break through. Seaweed, sea salt, brine. Black bean red pepper chili adds some spice. Oak. Palate: The dark chocolate, vanilla custard, and toffee are pronounced once again. This time accompanied by grapefruit, lime, and lemon citrus along with agave. More seaweed, brine, and sea salt. Bandaid, iodine, sulfur. Hookah and ballpark soft pretzel. Something like raspberry or strawberry jam. Fudge and milk chocolate. Chestnut. Black currant. Black bean red pepper chili. Black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. Finish: Agave, lime, and lemon. Dark chocolate, vanilla custard, and toffee. Chestnut. Sea salt, brine, seaweed, campfire smoke, bandaid, iodine, and tennis ball. Mint chocolate. Hookah and ballpark soft pretzel. Black bean red pepper chili. Black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. Long finish. Fantastic whisky. Ardbeg peat plays well with the ex-red wine casks. It offers a great blend of brine, smoke, and earth and rich sweetness. 4.75/5. Like I said before, I bought this years after its release. Naturally, I can’t dock this too hard for the price hike ($180) when I’m the one who was late to the party. I’m a sucker for a one-off—they’re the bane of any collector’s existence and yet can prove to be some of the greatest gems. I’m glad my compulsion to try them led me to buy this. Well done, Ardbeg.