The first time I had Laphroaig
Single Malt whiskey was only mid- to late-December of last year, and I was hit
by the massive amount of peat this scotch has. This is the staple of Islay
style scotch: smoky and peaty. This was Laphroaig Quarter Cask, aged 10 years,
and the peat surely (to some people) is overwhelming. I, personally, have
learned to love the taste, as the smoke and peat add a depth of flavor to the
whiskey that few other drinks can match. So, when the opportunity arose to try
another Islay scotch, I literally jumped at the chance and decided to try
Ardbeg, 10 year aged.
Nose
I must admit that when it comes to
the aroma of whiskeys, I am not really the man to talk to, as I usually only
have one nostril unclogged at any one point and it is usually slightly stuffy.
That being said, for the Ardbeg one smell can easily be identified right off
the bat: Peat. For those who do not know, peat generally has a more smoky aroma
with a slightly earthy scent to it. That should easily give a clue as to how
the scotch will taste--as with all food and drink the dominant aroma tends to
be the dominant taste. Ardbeg’s website describes the aroma as “smoky
fruit…peat infused with zesty lemon and lime, wrapped in waxy dark chocolate.”
If you look for it, I am sure the chocolate is there, but I mainly smell the
peat and fruit.
Taste
Once more, Ardbeg’s website gives a
lengthy description of the many tastes their 10 year scotch contains. From
lemon to “…sizzling cinnamon…” to buttermilk to even liqourice root. I will not
shy away from admitting that I was unable to taste most of these, which could
be chalked up to my nose being stuffed or just that my tongue is not trained
well enough to find these individual flavors. What was immediately stood out to
me was the obvious: the peat. I was expecting it to have a flavor similar to
the Laphroaig, a massive amount of peat, but I was surprised. While the peat
was present, it was not overwhelming, allowing me to taste the other flavors
present in the whiskey, such as the other fruity flavors and slightly spicy
pepper tones.
Like Laphroaig, I had this over ice, but
unlike the Laphroaig, I did not have to wait for the scotch to get watered down
before tasting the other flavors. From the start, I could taste the Ardbeg’s
peat, but I was also able to taste a sweetness with it as well. I would not
call this the lemon taste it advertised, rather more a berry-like taste, but a
mild one. Either way, this was a wonderful mixture, as the smoky peat and sweet
fruit combined to make a deep and interesting blend of flavors. I enjoyed this
very much, especially coming from only a 10 year aged scotch. Moving forward, I
must talk about what was one of the most surprising things about Ardbeg: how
smooth it is. Currently, one of my favorite scotches is Glenfiddich 15 year
aged. The Ardbeg is a smoother scotch than the 15 year, something that
surprised me as it is 5 years younger. I consider this a mark of quality.
Finish
I will not speak at length on
Ardbeg’s finish. It is a pleasant finish, smooth, easy, with less peat and more
fruit. The aftertaste it leaves is one I do not mind at all, as all those excellent
flavors meld nicely together. Personally, I find the finish makes want to drink
the Ardbeg more.
Conclusion
Ardbeg is a nice quality, well made
and overall great Single Malt. It is smooth and it is tasty, and from a 10
year, that is a great deal. While I could not taste or smell a lot of the
advertised flavors and aromas, that did not stop me from enjoying this scotch.
If I had to rate this one, I would easily give it a 9 out of 10. If you have
the chance, I would easily recommend you give it a shot. But I will warn you,
if you do not like peat or smoke, you will not like this. If you do, what are
you waiting for?
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