Nose: Signature Ardbeg sweet citrus peat smoke with grilled lemons and a salty Mezcal-like aspect to the smokiness. Earthy vegetal and light fruit notes (pineapple, gooseberry) when watered. Palate: Sweet citrus and fresh root ginger arrival. White grapes in the development and lots of twiggy bracken smoke. In the later development the vegetal peat smoke and yellow berries noted in the nose come forward, particularly with reduction. The texture has good density but is syrupy rather than oily. Finish: Medium/Long. Woody smoke, ash and briney vegetal notes. Classic Ardbeg sweet citrus in the aftertaste along with a maritime tinge. A good but somehow "ho-hum" Ardbeg. There’s nothing at all wrong with it but it’s just another offering in the endless range of NAS whiskies they are bottling nowadays. You can’t possibly hate this kind of stuff (Ardbeg is always at least “good” in my book) but I’d still rather have a bottle of the 10 year old core-range any day, and frankly a lot of Laphroaig and Lagavulin options would be even more welcome. Tasted from a free pour at the distillery, 17th April, 2025 “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)