Ardbeg 10 Year Old

Ardbeg 10 Year Old
Single Malt Scotch Whisky

One of the three famous distilleries on the south coast of Islay, Ardbeg is renowned among peat enthusiasts in the whisky community. Most of its whiskies share a heavily peated characteristic with those from the other two South Islay distilleries: Lagavulin and Laphroaig. Ardbeg was originally founded in 1815 but, along with fellow Islay distillery Port Ellen, ceased production in the early eighties. Ardbeg, however, was revived in 1997 and has become an appreciated brand with a diverse series of offerings. The people at Ardbeg seem to have a tendency to experiment as well, releasing many diverse bottlings including the lightly peated "Blasda" and the cask-strength "Uigeadail," a very well-reviewed whisky.

The bottle I have is the standard 10 Year Old, bottled at 46% and not chill-filtered. Like most Ardbegs, and many Islay whiskies in general, it is aged in bourbon casks. It has a very pale color and looks like a light white wine in the glass.

Nose: Peat. Obviously. Almost no alcohol burn. A bit vegetal, wet grass. I'm having some trouble describing this one. Light sweetness.

Taste: Lots of peat. Very smooth with a lightly smoky finish, different from the darker, oaky, campfire-smoke of Highland Park or Talisker. Sweet and fresh-tasting while still being heavy on the peat.

Tasty, but not my favorite. This whisky has little oak influence. This makes sense, as the bourbon casks impart less flavor than sherry butts, and this whisky is only 10 years old. A very fresh and pastoral-tasting whisky (is that even a taste description?)
I tend to like my peat smoke enriched by a darker, rounder spirit. This is pleasant, but I find it one-dimensional.

Aberlour 12 Year Old

Aberlour 12 Year Old
Double Cask Matured
$: Gift

As I sit by the window watching the heaviest snowfall we've had in the area for many years, I'm enjoying a 12 year old single malt whisky from the Aberlour distillery in Speyside, the region where over half of Scotland's single malt distilleries are located. This bottle was given to me by a friend at a holiday party we held a week ago. I'm not entirely sure where he found it, as it appears only in the "Duty-Free" section on the distillery's website. This whisky spends its 12 years of age in both bourbon and sherry casks. Unlike many whiskies which are matured in bourbon first, then finished with a few years in sherry, the Aberlour 12 year old expression is a blend of bourbon-aged and sherry-aged spirits which are combined only when both are fully matured. The bourbon casks traditionally yield a softer, lighter flavor and the sherry casks produce a richer, spicier spirit. Aberlour 12 year old, then, should contain a bit of both.

Nose: Pear and honey. Caramel apples. Well-aged with no hint of peat presence in the aroma. Deeper, there are the best scents of Famous Grouse without the less pleasant alcohol aroma associated with cheaper whisky.

Taste: Fall fruits like apples and pears, no citrus. Sherry influence is definitely present with spice on the finish: pepper, nutmeg, clove?

A rich and delicious unpeated whisky. Perfect for a snowy afternoon after a lunch of barley soup and cheese.