You don’t know how happy I was to find the warehouse pack today, given it was probably the last one in my market. Even if it came with a bottle of whisky I don’t particularly care for, those tins are pretty damn cool. It’s pale, beautifully so, the colour of barley that’s still two weeks from being ready to come off. Between the natural colour and the lack of chill filtering, Ardbeg is, in theory, my favourite malt. In practice however, it leaves something to be desired. Nose is better on this than I find on Corry and Uigeay, something about the use of only ex bourbon really lets the character of the malt shine through. It’s buttery, and sweet like kettle corn. Banana peel. For as peated as it’s supposed to be, the smoke is quite subdued. On the palate, it is raw, young and unapologetic. Tar, iodine, and peat smoke dominate until your now bruised tongue acclimates to this powerful dram. After the fire calms down, brown sugar and more banana show themselves. Finish is hotter than warm and very dry. Full of black pepper and salted caramel. Overall, it’s one that I want to like but just can’t. In blind tastings or in blends I can pick it out like a drug dog. And always find them too Ardbegy. I’ve tried and tried again, but outside the kelpie and a few drops of a 74, it’s one I can’t understand why I don’t like it.