Ardbeg
- OWNER: LVMH
- FOUNDED: 1815
- REGION: ISLAY
- PRONUNCIATION: ARD–beg
Like its neighbor Bruichladdich, Ardbeg is a born-again distillery. In the nineteenth century it was a small but successful operation, producing about 500 gallons a week and sustaining a community of about 200 people around it, including a school and a bowling green. The Hay family owned Ardbeg until 1959, when it was bought by DCL and the Canadian firm Hiram Walker; twenty years later, DCL bought out Hiram Walker’s shares, only to mothball the distillery in 1981. DCL restarted it in 1989 and then re-closed it in 1996, at which point it was on the verge of destruction when Glenmorangie bought it. Glenmorangie—later purchased by the luxury-goods company LVMH—poured money into Ardbeg, and production restarted in June 1997. Today Ardbeg is known for its robust, aggressively peaty style, though old-timers insist that DCL Ardbeg was even more peaty (and with a phenolic content of 20 ppm in its new make, compared to the Octomore line from Bruichladdich, which runs into the triple digits, Ardbeg is far from the peatiest of Islay whiskies).
Ardbeg
10 Year Old
Ardbeg’s entry-level expression, made with grain peated at the Port Ellen maltings. The whisky is aged in ex-bourbon casks.
- PRICE $ · RATING
- AGE 10 years old
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Banana and cherry candy, popcorn butter, orange cream, charcoal, and bacon; water makes it significantly sweeter.
- PALATE Honey-glazed ham, wood char, Kansas City barbecue sauce, almond, grilled pineapple; water calms down the char and introduces a salty note. The finish lingers, with cigar and charred orange.
- GENERAL Despite its cult status, Ardbeg has kept its prices relatively stable, making the 10 Year Old a great value for an introductory expression from a high-end distillery. It’s less smoky than one might expect from its reputation, and not especially complex, with the peat notes in harmony with the grain.
An Oa
Pronounced AHN-oh, this whisky is aged in a combination of ex–Pedro Ximénez and virgin oak casks.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 46.6%
- NOSE Fennel, grapeseed, citrus, cream, saltwater, a good dose of peat; it opens with water, revealing simple syrup and berries.
- PALATE Thin, with a burst of menthol and wood char up front, followed by milk chocolate, grilled meat, raisins, and sea salt; water brings out barbecue spices and Big Red chewing gum. The finish is quick, though the cinnamon lingers.
- GENERAL The sherry influence is restrained, allowing the typical fun Ardbeg notes to tumble out. But they’re a bit jumbled, especially on the palate, and never quite resolve themselves.
Ardbeg
Uigeadail
A marriage of younger whiskies aged in ex-bourbon casks with older ex-sherry casks, Uigeadail is considered the favorite among the distillery’s most ardent fans. Pronounced OOGEH-dull.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 54.2%
- NOSE Wet stone, antique leather, iodine, smoked meat, and the mustiness of an Army/Navy surplus store; water brings out rubber balloons, caramel chews, and cinnamon. There’s a vague herbaceous quality as well, like fresh-cut mint.
- PALATE Full-bodied and sweet up front, then turns toward rubber and charred meat; water dampens the sweetness but brings out dark chocolate and cinnamon notes. The cinnamon continues through the lingering finish.
- GENERAL Satisfying, full, and delicious—but only if you’re a serious peat head.
Corryvreckan
The Gulf of Corryvreckan, northeast of Islay (actually, off the northern tip of the adjacent island of Jura), is home to the world’s second-largest whirlpool—a powerful, angry swirl of water, which makes a good name for a scotch. Aged in ex-bourbon and ex–French wine casks.
- PRICE $$$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 57.1%
- NOSE Citrus, pine, flower basket, dark cream, brisket; water makes it smell like maple syrup over pancakes.
- PALATE A deep char note, with grilled oranges, smoky cherries, potpourri, and burnt cinnamon cookies. Water reveals a slightly funky umami note, like dank mushrooms. The finish is long, woody, and chewy, with just a hint of sweetness.
- GENERAL A solid representative of the Ardbeg style, though just a tad unbalanced in favor of dark, burnt notes. Still, it has its partisans.
Ardbeg
Perpetuum
A still widely available “limited-edition” whisky, released in 2015 for the distillery’s 200th anniversary. According to Ardbeg, it’s a blend of old and new casks, both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry.
- PRICE $$$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 47.4%
- NOSE Soapy, floral, fresh rubber, toasted coconut, grilled orange, blue cheese, and burning hay; water brings it down a notch and adds soy sauce and smoked gouda.
- PALATE A creamy mouthfeel, with wasabi, smoked meat, rubber gasket, orange drink—but also vanilla, honey, and buttercream; water amps up the spice and peat notes. The finish is slightly dry, with grilled habaneros, smoked cheese, and barbecue sauce.
- GENERAL Slightly sweeter and smoother than a typical Islay, probably thanks to the older barrels included in the vatting. A bright and gorgeous Islay dram.