Yesterday I posted a recollection of my visit at Ardbeg distillery last October. This is a golden opportunity to also bring you some treat – tasting notes of aged single cask Ardbeg dram.

A bit of history – Ardbeg distillery as we know it today, under Glenmorangie PLC/LVMH group, has started the quest to restore Ardbeg to its previous glory back in 1997. Older stock (especially from the 1970 and earlier) are precious an hard to get and you rarely can find such bottles around (unless you’re willing to pay dearly). Lately, three(!) different Independent bottlers has bottled Ardbeg casks from 1992 as 21yo whisky from Ardbeg: one from Douglas Laing, one from Hunter Laing and the last one from WhiskyBroker which is the one I’m reviewing today after getting a sample from my friend Ben (Thanks Ben!).

WhiskyBroker 1992 Ardbeg 21yo (42.5%, 286 bottles)

Nose: earthy and quite clean peat, big lemon, citrus, fresh and kind of herbal behind the peat, pear drops and grapes (a bit winery), sweetness. no smoke or dirtiness as usual Ardbeg. it’s more subtle and clean.

Palate: dirty & earthy peat,  grapes, honeyed vanilla sweetness & lemon and then a nice heat wave, chewy/medium bodied.

Finish: medium length, peat, wood & spices, sweetness, semi dry, clean finish

Conclusion: A very good Ardbeg albeit it gives us a different look than the standard Official Bottlings. This one is less peated and looks like the time in the cask was well spent and it tamed down the dirty/ashy notes while exposing more lemon and fruity notes. Slainte!