Ardbeg committee editions used to be an annual release that I’d be eagerly awaiting, like a kid on Christmas eve, as it got closer to their release date with a hope to procure their new smoky concoction. In Virginia, obtaining a bottle was relatively easy, until Ardfection-18 spread resulting in mad dashes for these alcoholic Tickle Me Elmos that vanished like a ghostly Houdini trick from shelves either by flippers looking to fund a Scrooge McDuck cash pool or enthusiasts looking to quench their yearning thirsts for smoky elixirs. Alas, I too caught Ardfection-18 and sought each subsequent release until Ardbeg accidentally released the vaccine known as Scorch which managed to literally scorch any desire for purchasing a full bottle of those special releases going forward. Now most of their new releases seem to be flair-covered marketing gimmicks that are similar to limited-edition Oreos that cost more and are usually unable to really outmatch their core range. So even though my obsession with obtaining full bottles has subsided, curiosity has me interested in what this latest edition of Ardbeg 8 “For Discussion” has to offer and thank you @PBMichiganWolverine for the generous sample. Now time to open this sample, follow the instructions on the bottle and do a little discussion. The nose is soft and subtle starting with charred lemon, toasted marshmallows and freshly laid asphalt then cocoa powder dusted prunes, vanilla extract and seaside rocky minerality followed by gooseberries, tangerine orange and ruby red grapefruit that transitions to smoldering campfire with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a thin to medium mouthfeel starting with sweet yet mildly sour citrus before a moderate bitter spice that slowly fades to candied lemon peel, dark chocolate covered bacon and burnt leaves then grilled figs, vanilla creme brûlée and seaside rocky minerality followed by blackberries, tangerine orange and lime zest that transitions to smoldering campfire with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length starting with mildly sour citrus that quickly fades to the background of asphalt, black pepper, seaside rocky minerality and moderate campfire ash. Oh Ardbeg, you used to be releasing one smash hit after another, but you’ve seemed to take the Nicholas Cage approach with over churning out special releases lately with this one being more enjoyable than other releases. It is unfortunately a rather tame dram with sour citrus, light smoke and lots of ash that IMHO falls below the 10 year, Oogie or Corry. Hopefully one day Ardbeg gets their mojo back and release some stunning drams again. Until then, I’ll be on the sidelines with the occasional sample of the new releases and enjoying some of the old hits along with the core range.