Sydney Whisky Show May 20th 2023. Whisky #29 Nose: Yeasty and fruity (citrus), acetone and ash, privet and salt water, menthol and ansie. It’s an oddly laid-back nose for an Ardbeg and it’s clearly very young with a beery aroma that reminded me of the smell of fermenting ale. Palate: Ashy smoke and pear drops on the arrival (very Ardbeg) with sweeter citrus notes, some vanilla and a spritzy quality as it develops. Chocolate, pepper and salt towards the finish and the texture is OK but not noteworthy. There is the same yeasty taste of wash as in the nose that screams “youth”. Finish: Medium/short. Smoke, yeasty beer, brine and a little sweet citrus in the aftertaste. A bit ho-hum overall and Ardcore is a misleading name as this is anything but a hardcore whisky and it in no way displays anything remotely “punk”. There are no faults here but it’s very young, subtle in some odd ways, and tastes more like the good first effort of a new distillery than something from a well-established producer of demonstratively peated whisky. I thought it was pleasant but not worth seeking out unless you are an Ardbeg completionist, particularly considering the price which is way too much IMHO. Like all experiments it has its place, but that place is not in my stash. Good to taste at a show, however. “Above Average” : 80/100 (3 stars)