NV Ardbeg - Ardbog (52.1%)
Buying options
Tasting notes
<strong>Colour</strong>: Deep ochre.<br><br><strong>Nose</strong>: Pecan nuts, fudge, leather and a whiff of lavender and violets. Aromatic smoke, with salty Iberico ham and olives. With water, smoked rhubarb, aged balsamic vinegar and salty, 'graphite' notes. <br><br><strong>Taste</strong>: Oily/tingly mouthfeel leads to salty, savoury cashews, peanuts, clove, aniseed flavoured toffee, green olives and a curious hint of anchovy. <br><br><strong>Finish</strong>: Long and lingering with maple syrup sweetness kept in check by oak tannins, clove and coffee grounds. <br><br><strong>Awards</strong>: Gold – Islay Single Malt No Age Statement – 2014, World Whiskies Awards.
Critic scores
Whisky Advocate
More reviews and scores
The follow-up to last year’s Ardbeg Day, here’s the cult distillery in its funkiest guise with a nose that’s reminiscent (I’d imagine) of a frontier trading post: all pitch, furs, and gun oil. Some mint hangs around in the background alongside eucalyptus. This is an earthy, in-your-face Ardbeg with a hint of box-fresh sneakers indicating some youthfulness. The mouth is thick and chewy: wild mint, oily depths, and the slightly manic energy typical of Ardbeg’s young years. Editor's Choice. Autumn 2013, Dave Broom, www.whiskyadvocate.com
About the producer
Ardbeg is one of the most recognisable peated whiskies today. The distillery was instrumental in kickstarting the Islay revival when it reopened in the late 1990s.