As I have mentioned before, I have been “accused” of being a member of the “cult of Ardbeg”. I gladly accept that title as I am a big fan of many of Ardbeg’s releases. Not too long ago, I had the pleasure of reviewing other special releases. Based on that review, you can tell what kind of fan I am of Ardbeg. So, I was excited when I learned that I would be receiving a sample of Ardbeg Spectacular to review.
Readers of my reviews know that I tend to be fair, even when I received a free review sample. I am not afraid of providing an honest review of whatever I am trying. That being said, I do love a port aged whisky. Sometimes the port funk can be overpowering, but sometimes the distiller really hits the mark and the port influence is just wonderful.
OK, enough of my rambling. Let’s get on with the show!
This whisky was provided to us as a review sample by Ardbeg Distillery. This did not influence the final outcome of this review in any way.
Ardbeg Spectacular
Class: Single Malt Islay Scotch
Price: $130
Notes:
- No age statement
- Distilled, Aged and Bottled at Ardbeg Distillery, Port Ellen, Islay, Scotland
- 100% Malted Barley
- Bottled at 46% ABV (92 proof)
- Matured in ex-port casks and ex-bourbon barrels
- Non-chill filtered
Nose: 86/100
Salty peat leads the way. A touch of honey and BBQ meat sits at the edges. A surprising bit of citrus and pear lies beneath. After some time, a nice maltiness appears. Just a lot going on here.
Palate: 88/100
Light but oily. Smoky peat, honey, pear and milk chocolate all participate in a lovely dance. Brine mingles nicely throughout. There is definitely more but it can’t get past the smoky peat.
Finish: 84/100
Smoky peat tends to dominate here. Pear and milk chocolate vie for attention but stay in the background. The “Ardbeg Ash” lingers for quite some time.
Overall: 87/100
Recommendation: Must try!
Honestly, this is a touch of flavor in the finish from being “spectacular” (sorry, I had to). The nose and palate have so much going on, with so much balance, that you really do need to try it. Granted, those who do not like peat may be turned off, but this is a smoky peat not anything medicinal, so it might work for some people. The proof allows some of the more delicate flavors to appear. Seriously, did you ever expect citrus and pear in an Ardbeg? The port influence is surprisingly light, but still manages to come through. The only reason this is not a Buy It Now recommendation is the price. At $130, the finish needs to rival the nose and palate.
What did we learn?
Well, we already knew that Ardbeg makes some excellent whisky. Some people feel that the number of special releases from all of these distilleries can dilute the value of them. However, it really just means that you need to focus on those releases that you know have a better chance of being good. Ardbeg is one of those distilleries. They consistently release very good special bottles. With Spectacular, Ardbeg has shown that we desperately need more port cask matured Ardbeg whisky. I beg of Ardbeg (no pun intended) that we see a new standard offering that is like this release. Maybe a nice 12 year, or even an 8 year old without any ex-bourbon barrels. They are onto something here, and we need to watch for anything like this release.
