New Whisky Agency Bottlings (Sea Life and more)

The Balvenie 50 y.o.

Another Bunnahabhain 40 y.o.

Also watch out for new releases by Andrea Caminneci (C&S Drams), the SMWS, The Archives and the Austrian Single Cask Collection/Golden Cask. As soon as I could try any of these, I will post it here. ‚Til soon, the garden is calling …

Men in Chains, Bottle in Chains

After the release of the Ardbeg Day-bottling some weeks ago, Islay’s ultimate malt distillery now fires out a follow-up that celebrates the festivities around Christopher Street Day. This very rare bottling bears a special pink design and was finished in an Appletini-Cask. Spot the resemblance of the Ardbeg chain bottle presenter and the picture above. To get a bottle, you have to join the Ardbeg CSD-Parade (date soon to be released on Ardbeg’s homepage) in outfits according to the occasion. By that, Ardbeg wants to appeal to all men, not only the barbecuers and peat pushers.

Following Black Bowmore: The Pink Ardbeg

…I almost had you there, right? Just kiddin‘, guys! Don’t we all love the hype around one of the world’s finest whiskies, even when it goes a bit overboard? I am so glad I got my old bottles before that craze set in.

Anyway, I could try the new Ardbeg Day Dram (56,7%) with fellow Malt Maniac Keith at Royal Mile Whiskies (thanks!) and must say, very decent again. A quite tropical version from 8, 9 and 12 y.o. Bourbon cask stock which was then married in Sherry casks. It has nice fruits but still clearly is a South Coast Islay – a lot of Bourbon Cask character and the peaty, sulphury, sooty and ‚iodiny‘ joys of Ardbeg meet here, the Sherry influence is discrete. I score it a good 89+ in my books and recommend it, it is almost as good as the fabulous Alligator in my eyes, just in a different way. I am looking forward to try the Galileo (click here to see it) … and to a new Ardbeg in the future that bears a number instead of a name again.

Photo: nasawatch.com

However, I won’t push a wheelbarrow with peat to apply for the purchase of a young bottle, neither will I welcome a ship in a port with its peaty load nor am I becoming a rocketman – I am simply going to taste two exceptional drams from there just as the Gods of Ardbeg wanted it. This is how I obey, that’s my way of creating cult. But thanks for the invitation, guys.

My friend Michael – who deserves knighthood for this – gave me two samples of Ardbeg Single Casks that still mature at the distillery in Sherry Hoggies: a 1975 and a 1998. Something special already. As I own the empty sister, Sherry Cask #4716 bottled for Germany in 2002 (this cask sits in my cellar and was used for an Ardbeg rematuration), this is even more special to me. Let’s taste:

Ardbeg 1975 Refill Sherry Hogshead #4714 (sampled 27.09.2011, 45,3%)

Nose: Wow, what a great start for Ardbeg Day – it has the perfect balance and smell of good old Ardbeg from sherry

Photo: The Wine and Cheese Place

casks with enough power. I love the deep peaty tones, the soot and the iodine along with notes of chalk, sulphur, tires, overheated power transformator, herbs, tealeafs, camphor, cocoa, milk coffee, plums, pepper, oyster, sea air, lemon zest and other citrus components, also only a little wood (dark plank). Close to perfect, I would say.

Palate: Very similar to its nose, but milder, not a powerhouse – it could be a bit heavier for my taste. This also translates into the mouthfeel which also is a bit thin. However, the finish brings a growth of flavours again.

Finish: Now we’re talking! The magic is back, consisting of iodine, soot, sulphur, deep-toned peat, tires and plums. Nothing but great.

Comment: This work in progress should be taken out soon, but it also won’t suffer from becoming a 40 y.o., who knows what is planned with it. Some people say it won’t be bottled at all. Why that is, I don’t know. The old showcase cask? Whatever will happen, I wanna be part of its future .

Score: 93+

Ardbeg 1998 Refill Sherry Hogshead #2722 (sampled 27.09.2011, 53,9%)

Nose: Altogether the same DNA (deep peaty aromas, soot and put-out campfire, dirty tires, lemon zest, camphor), but with the usual hints of post-1997

Photo: The Wine and Cheese Place

elements like aloe vera, agave and other cactus’s juice. I am also getting aromas of Pu-Erh tea and pine resin. The sherry is very discrete but helps in terms of complexity.

Palate: Displays a good balance, this is not a wild beast yet it retains good power of spice and peat and the aromas mentioned. I can taste its potential.

Finish: Mainly on soot, peat, matchstick sulphur and tires but the complete nose appears in the distance after a while. And here it is, late but there: Chocolate and French roast coffee. Aaaaahhhhh.

Comment: This cask is pretty close to the old style, especially in the finish. I am quite convinced that it will come close to the old Ardbeg quality when it is over 20 years old – if they let it sleep.

Photo: The Wine and Cheese Place

With some patience, we will get wonderful old Islay drams like the 1975 from above again. Along with Port Charlotte and Kilchoman, Ardbeg will be stellar when it becomes older. The future is bright. Aside from that I think that inactive refill sherry is just the perfect wood to age Ardbeg for more than 15 years.

Score: 91+

P.S.: In November there will be an Ardbeg Vertical Tasting in Regensburg …

Joke or not - it is cult: The Ardbeg Galileo (Photo: ardbeg-whisky.ch)