Located on the Isle of Islay in the Scottish Hebrides, the Ardbeg Distillery has stood for over 200 years recently celebrating their bicentenary in 2015. The distillery was completely shutdown between 1981 to 1989 before operated in a limited capacity prior to being purchase by Glenmorangie in 1997 and subsequently coming under the control of Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy in 2004. An upgrade to the distillery completed in early 2021 saw a brand new still house and a new set of stills doubling the distilleries production capacity to 2,400,000 litres per annum.
Celebrate all things Islay with this Ardbeg aged for ten years in American oak ex-bourbon barrels. Discover smokey Islay whisky and dive into the unknown qualities of peaty whisky. This expression is part of the standard range and after a glass or two there’s no turning back.
Additional details
Nose:
Exceptional balance and depth. At full strength, the aroma is a beguiling mix of toffee and chocolate sweetness, cinnamon spice and medicinal phenols. Fresh citrus and floral notes of white wine are evident, as are melon, pear drops and a gentle creaminess. There is also the fresh phenolic aroma of sea spray and smoked fish. Hickory and coffee emerge later as the most volatile top notes fade. With water, the depth of the peat opens up, at once revealing layers of phenols with gristy peat and leather followed by medicinal phenols (carbolic soap) and a whiff of wood smoke. However, the sweetness of vanilla and the fragrance of citrus fruits are never far behind, maintaining the balance and intrigue.
Palate:
An initial moderate and clean sweetness of deep peat notes, with tobacco smoke and strong espresso coffee, which then gives way to treacle sweetness and liquorice. The mouth feel is firstly lightly spiced, then chewing, and mouth-watering and full, finally drying.
Finish:Long and smoky. A smoky sweetness is left on the palate, with a crushed peat and sweet-malted cereal character.
Varietal Composition:
Scotch Whisky
