Chat with Vinny
The year 2015 celebrates Ardbeg’s 200th anniversary – a worthy excuse for pouring yourself a glass of this rich, peaty Islay malt. It’s been whisky of the year thrice already in the last decade. No surprise to anyone who has tasted this 10 year old.
The year 2015 celebrates Ardbeg’s 200th anniversary – a worthy excuse for pouring yourself a glass of this rich, peaty Islay malt. It’s been whisky of the year thrice already in the last decade. No surprise to anyone who has tasted this 10 year old.
Tasting notes
Peat, tangy lemon and lime, black pepper, espresso and liquorice
Aroma
Smoke, ocean air, lemon, chocolate, pine and coal tar soap
Islay is the most southerly whisky producing island of the Inner Hebrides and the most revered. The distinct character of its fine malts can be attributed to proximity to the sea and to rich peat beds that provide the distilleries with fuel. Ardbeg Distillery dates back to 1815 and its whisky was for many years produced for blending purposes. Ardbeg gained a reputation as the world’s peatiest malt from the fact that its maltings had no fans. This caused the peat smoke to permeate the grains very heavily. The distillery is today owned by the luxury LVMH group. Ardbeg is notable for its policy of bottling whisky at a higher alcohol by volume than the minimum 40%, and for not chill filtering. Both of these measures yield more flavour and body.