Ardbeg Trudernish 15 Year

Tasting Notes

Producer Tasting Note

Aroma: A soft wave of earthy peat and gentle woodsmoke is wrapped in rich vanilla cream, evoking the scent of melted vanilla ice cream with fudge sauce.

Taste: Classic notes of soft pine, woodsmoke and damp forest floor lead into dark liquorice, chocolate lime, and a touch of herbal mint. More soft orchard fruits and floral sweetness are paired with a nuts wrapped into milk chocolate. The texture silky, with the vanilla running like a thread through each layer.

Finish: Long and soothing, with peat embers, vanilla pod and toasted nuts lead into a long and smoky finish.

88pts Whisky Fun

"Here is ‘A Smoky Dram of Creamy Harmony’ matured in bourbon, new charred oak and oloroso sherry casks. Trudernish is a small hamlet in the south of Islay, and a ‘story’ that’s rather less far-fetched than some others, it has to be said. We quite like all this… Colour: white wine. Nose: this is typical Ardbeg, fresh, precise, and very much in the vein of the Ten that we like so much at WF. Slightly resinous and tarry peat, but never excessively so, with light touches of capers and olives, a few oysters that happened to be passing by, and, indeed, a sense of harmony, or even fullness, without being too ‘creamy’. Good news, if you ask me. Mouth: this time there are a few touches of bergamot and even pineapple, typical of deep-charred wood, but once again the balance has been preserved and all the maritime character remains. Including the oysters, seaweed and lemons. Finish: medium in length but crystal-clear in profile, and above all refreshing. A lovely duo of salted mint and salted aniseed in the aftertaste. Comments: the oloroso is anecdotal. Somewhere along the way, we’re reminded of the old ten and the very rare old fifteen from more than thirty years ago. Careful, this goes down all too easily, so it’s a little dangerous. SGP:566 - 88 points."

Distillery

Evan here - I am not going to get into Ardbeg’s history or location or ownership too much. It is old, and it is on Islay. To say more is to preach to the choir for the most part. If you are keen to know more, just mispronounce the name as ‘Ardberg’ within the hearing of Andrew or Curt. You will quickly be corrected and then likely be given the chronological timeline of the distillery in question as well as a thorough essay on why it is perhaps the best distillery on Islay, if not in Scotland itself.

Anyhow. For a relatively small distillery, Ardbeg’s releases have become relatively prolific over the past few years. The distillery can boast about having the most rabid fan base in the world of Single Malt Scotch, and many of its releases correlate with this. Just about every limited edition bottle of Ardbeg is released to Ardbeg Committee Members first. Membership is free and allows you to find out when the next Ardbeg Limited Release is, well, released.

The core range of Ardbeg is strong. If you like you want a taste of what all of the fuss is about when it comes to Ardbeg, the regular Ardbeg 10-Year-Old is a great place to start. If you want a bottle that is a wee bit sweeter and goes in a few more directions when it comes to flavour profile, Ardbeg An Oa should suit you. The combination of peat Sherry is your thing? Then go for the Ardbeg Uigeadail. If you want the Ardbeg-ness of Ardbeg dialled up to 11, go for the Corryvreckan. And now, if you find yourself craving a release of Ardbeg that has an age statement, but you already have the Ardbeg 10, you can go for the Wee Beastie!