Another live dispatch from Feis Ile. Unfortunately I’m missing Ardbeg’s open day at the end of the week because we’re leaving midway through the festival to continue our Highlands road trip. Thankfully, Ardbeg offers free samples and sells bottles of their festival release, Grooves, before the big day! I was ecstatic to get my hands on this and it did not disappoint. This has been the bottle of Feis Ile for me so far. The nose explodes with scents of sweet, crisp apple and earth. This is a complex dram with flavor far outpacing its moderate 46% ABV. The palate has a divine, creamy mouthfeel and a rich, savory combination of caramel (the dominant note) and spicy smoked salami. This whisky finishes with smoky, earthy, cappuccino peat. This is one of the best 3-5 scotches I’ve had in my life.