Ardbeg... What can we say about this distillery except for having the best canteen on Islay? :)
For the past 10 years we mostly see different NAS releases from Ardbeg on the market: Uigeadail and Corryvreckan, which are great in terms price/quality ratio, a bit winey Galileo, still young Still Young (sounds nice, isn't it?), charred Alligator, sherry/bourbon Dark Cove, overhyped Perpetuum et cetera, et cetera. These are quite good malts I must admit, though deep in my consciousness there was a thought "may the grass was green and Ardbeg was more Ardbeg?..".
Decision made, let's open the one I tried quite a few years ago and liked it more than his partners Uigeadail and Corryvreckan despite being only 46% - all rise, Airigh Nam Beist in session now!
Why do we talk about this very malt?.. Distillation on Ardbeg can be roughly divided into 3 periods:
1. Beginning of 1970-s - March 1981 (after that distillery was closed for 8 years). Larger part of spirit was made with traditionally floor malted barley. Peat from deeper horizons was used and that gave some unique characted to Ardbegs from 1970-s which are much appraised. I've tasted a sample of Ardbeg 1977 recently, it was quite simple (peat and barley) but overwhelmingly tasty. Hopefully I'd taste some for the single casks from that period soon :)
2. After 8-year silence from mid of 1989 till mid of 1996 Ardbeg was producing just two months a year. Airigh Nam Beist was born during this period (1990 as you can read on the label). Distillery future was quite vague...
3. In 1996 Ardbeg wassaved bought by Glenmorangie who faced a very difficult task to overcome the results of 8-year silence and 7-year limited production. From 1997 to 2000 Arbeg 17 yo becomes the flagship of the distillery (mostly consisted of spirits from 1980-1981). In 2000 new Ardbeg 10 appears in a fleet. In 2004 Ardbeg 17 yo was discontinued and Nam Beist being launched in 2006 was considered as a replacement for 17 yo. We don't have exact age stated on the label, though due to the fact it was being produced from 2006 till 2008 we can perceive it as 16, 17 and 18 year malt. Let's get to tasting finally:
Nose: smoky (though not as much as Corryvreckan or Uigeadail) with notes of sea, oysters, lemon, seeweed and barley.
Taste: fruity and lemony, creamy, sweet. Oily smoked white fish. Even at 46% it does have body. Dangerously drinkable, you want to sip and sip and sip :)
Finish: sweetness, salt, oak and spices.
Overall: very elegant and balanced malt, as for me it's the best from the squad (Airigh, Corryvreckan, Uigeadail).
Score: neither of the components isn't striking, though they are so nice carved that I can't make it lower than 23 23 23 23, 92/100! I beg thy pardon :)
For the past 10 years we mostly see different NAS releases from Ardbeg on the market: Uigeadail and Corryvreckan, which are great in terms price/quality ratio, a bit winey Galileo, still young Still Young (sounds nice, isn't it?), charred Alligator, sherry/bourbon Dark Cove, overhyped Perpetuum et cetera, et cetera. These are quite good malts I must admit, though deep in my consciousness there was a thought "may the grass was green and Ardbeg was more Ardbeg?..".
Decision made, let's open the one I tried quite a few years ago and liked it more than his partners Uigeadail and Corryvreckan despite being only 46% - all rise, Airigh Nam Beist in session now!
Why do we talk about this very malt?.. Distillation on Ardbeg can be roughly divided into 3 periods:
1. Beginning of 1970-s - March 1981 (after that distillery was closed for 8 years). Larger part of spirit was made with traditionally floor malted barley. Peat from deeper horizons was used and that gave some unique characted to Ardbegs from 1970-s which are much appraised. I've tasted a sample of Ardbeg 1977 recently, it was quite simple (peat and barley) but overwhelmingly tasty. Hopefully I'd taste some for the single casks from that period soon :)
2. After 8-year silence from mid of 1989 till mid of 1996 Ardbeg was producing just two months a year. Airigh Nam Beist was born during this period (1990 as you can read on the label). Distillery future was quite vague...
3. In 1996 Ardbeg was
Nose: smoky (though not as much as Corryvreckan or Uigeadail) with notes of sea, oysters, lemon, seeweed and barley.
Taste: fruity and lemony, creamy, sweet. Oily smoked white fish. Even at 46% it does have body. Dangerously drinkable, you want to sip and sip and sip :)
Finish: sweetness, salt, oak and spices.
Overall: very elegant and balanced malt, as for me it's the best from the squad (Airigh, Corryvreckan, Uigeadail).
Score: neither of the components isn't striking, though they are so nice carved that I can't make it lower than 23 23 23 23, 92/100! I beg thy pardon :)
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