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Since its establishment in 1815, The Ardbeg distillery has been on a tumultuous rollercoaster ride of ownership changes, closures, and reopening. Stability was only achieved relatively recently, when the ailing distillery was purchased in 1997 by industry giants, Glenmorangie. The subsequent years have seen the distillery's popularity swell, with fans enticed by the signature style of tarry, sooty ...
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89.5 / 100 · Based on 4 published reviews.
Long, chewy finish, with smoke and mocha lingering.
slowtrainkoi22 SeptThe dark chocolate-covered cherries and soft stone fruits offer a welcome fruit note, though they sit alongside deep, intense peat smoke. The smoky side seems likely to lead, so this feels less fruit-led than I tend to prefer.
The intense peat smoke is right up front, but warm Christmas cake and treacle give it a sweeter counterweight. That balance works for me; it doesn’t read as smoke alone.
The mix of intense peat smoke and warm Christmas cake gives this a compelling contrast, with treacle and chocolate-coated raisins adding a rich, sweet side. The palate keeps that balance going with deep smoke, treacle and lemon curd. At 54.2% ABV—alcohol by volume—the stated strength is notably high, though that number alone doesn’t establish a cask-strength designation. For an enthusiast drawn to bold, layered character, the combination of smoky, sweet and savoury notes makes this an especially appealing Islay single malt.
