1257 Kensington Road NW
1 (403) 283-8000 / atyourservice@kensingtonwinemarket.com
$84.99
We can't be 100% sure that this is a cask strength NAS Ardbeg, but it sure as hell tastes like one. We weren't looking for a new exclusive Islay mystery malt, but when we tasted it, we had to have it. 58%
700ml mlOUT OF STOCK
If you'd like us to try to order it, add it to your cart. We can't promise, but we'll do our best!
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: salted caramel, juicy malt and earthy peat; lemon and lime spiced tortilla chips with salsa and a bit of guac; tarry and leathery with dried fruits and spices; melons and apricots beneath.
Palate: a surge of peat, salted caramel and juicy malt; still tarry with loads of citrus, leather, dried fruits and spices; as the palate adjusts to the frontal assault some softer fruits emerge with heather honey and firm woody spices.
Finish: long, drying and smoky with fading peat, spices and malt.
Comment: this is a bold but characterful malt that is sure to please the peat heads, and especially fans of the most easter distillery on Islay's southern coast!
Producer Tasting Note
Nose: Breathe it in and feel the rush of spirit hit the senses and the nose prickle. Intense peat and smoke, maritime air, porridge oats, clean vanilla and toffee.
Palate: A burn of hot spirit and the mouth fills with smoke, feeling almost thick with oiliness before softening and becoming creamier, with nutty, briny and citrus notes.
Finish: The mouth is almost in shock, numb and tingling. A sweetness mixes nicely with the slowly fading smoke, leaving a salty tang.
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!
