The Schtick: Islay distillery, Ardbeg, drops a whisky every year to celebrate the annual rager it throws called Ardbeg Day, which coincides with the last day of Feis Ile — the Islay Festival.
This year’s expression is all about breaking boundaries, and the “Einstein of Scotch Whisky” Dr. Bill Lumsden decided to play around with a new technique called High Gravity Mashing (it’s not dirty, we promise.) This rebellious scotch brand lowers the water level and puts more grain into its mashbill, yielding more sugar in the wort. Ardbeg claims this yields a fruitier and more intense scotch whisky.
But does it? Let’s check it out.
Review #2586 | Scotch Review #1
Distiller: Ardbeg
Bottler: Ardbeg
Brand: Ardbeg
Selection: None
ABV: 48.3% ABV
Age: NAS
Nose: Holy tobacco smokey, Old Hollywood, moley. The aroma of this brooding bruiser smells like stepping back in time to some sort of classy night club with crystal chandeliers, where people in tuxedos smoke cigars. Some vampy glamazon walks by with a fur coat on — this Islay scotch has got an animalic thing going on — and the vibe is 100% vintage, old school glamour. There’s some of that maritime brine there that adds an intriguing undercurrent.
Taste: Ardbeg does it again. On the nose, you think you’re getting one thing, but on the palate, you’re getting something else entirely. The pour is elegant and lifted, with pineapple, sea salt and coastal spray. There’s an airy note of fluffy whipped meringue that adds an ethereal high tone to this gorgeous Islay scotch. Char and ash ground it without weighing it down. The complexity is off the charts, yet everything is beautifully integrated. Not a discordant note here.
Finish: Ocean floor meets forest air with lemon rind and salt. A spine of ash trails through to the very end, leaving a memorable impression.
Overall: Ardbeg has hit a new high for me. I thought last year’s Ardbeg Day release was a knockout, but this scotch takes it to another level — or should we say, “defies gravity.” A memorable combination of elegance and danger, this scotch is going to stay with me for a long time. Brava, Ardbeg!
Rank: 9
Critic: Cynthia Mersten
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