Ardbeg has really grown on me since first trying the 10 year. I truly enjoyed the Oogie so wanted to finish tasting the core range. Before tasting for this review, I went a little overboard late fall and before I realized it had consumed about a 5th of the bottle which is far more than I usually drink. Dangerous stuff here!
Paid: $78 for 750ml
Distilled / Owned By: Ardbeg / LVHM
Region: Islay
57.1% ABV
Aged For: NAS
Mashbill: 100% malted barley
Cask Type: Ex-bourbon and French oak, rumored there could be red wine casks
Chill Filtered: No
Color Added: No
Drank: Neat, in a glencairn
Color: Amberish Gold
Nose: Costal peat blended with black currant and pomegranate. Heather and tar with notes of dark chocolate.
Taste: Very elegant, starts gentle and smooth on the palate and then intensifies. Tastes of smoke, red meat, blueberry and sea brine. A bit of barley malt to round it out.
Finish: Long and warming. Refreshing. Like a think black coffee next to a fire with the taste rolled oats.
Overall: It got me good and smashed because it was delicious and a wonderful drinker. Not the punch in the face that Laphroaig is, but it’s sexy younger sister that gets you in trouble. Hard for me to determine if I like this or Oogie more.
Score: 91 out of 100
