Ardbeg Arrrrrrrdbeg!

Rating: 18/23 N: It takes a couple of minutes for this to come out, but I get the usual Ardbeg tar mixed with a handful of black pepper, brine, a bit of rye tartness. There's some minerality that brings in a little bit of light, papery sweetness. With it, some roast lamb and a bit of a floral-bitter take on a paperiness meeting wet cardboard. That brine starts turning a bit vegetal and the profile lightens. P: I don't remember what the gimmick here was supposed to be, but I'm guessing from the name that rum casks were used. I don't pick up much of the molasses rum sweetness I expected though. Instead, this is kind of briny with some vegetal notes, suggesting youth and/or rhum agricole. This doesn't taste at all as youthful as Ardbeg The Wee Beastie though since that horrible sulphur is gone. There's a spicy pepperiness that mixes black pepper with a bit of sichuan peppercorns. In there, there's a bit of savory smoked meat. Of course, there's a bitter, tarry peat later, with smoke rising out of it. The thing though is that with that spiciness and dryness I also get a substantial rye character. It's lighter than the peated malt flavor for sure, but it explains the minerality and tartness. Really, what this is reminding me of a lot now is Whistlepig PiggyBack. I could still be wrong and there are rhum agricole barrels in the mix here, but I'm thinking young-ish high-rye barrels. F: Peppery with that rhum agricole vegetal character and a bit of brine. Smoke wafts throughout, with a bit of numbing peat. - Conclusion - This is a solid dram. It's edgier and funkier than Ardbeg 10, though it also tastes kind of less mature and, naturally, less refined. The Ardbeg 10 is more composed with a clearer identity. This seems like a fun one-off and a can't say that I necessarily find Ardbeg 10 better, but considering that this is a special release, I don't find it amazingly compelling. That said, the complexity here is quite nice. I love all of the layers to contemplate. It's restrained from what it could have been in terms of fullness and richness, but as a result I can get all sorts of swirling flavors. The question now is: what do I rate this? I can't imagine it being below a 17, but it's also not blowing my mind, so it's no 21 or higher. Laphroaig 10 (17) is not quite on the same level as this. That said, as I come back for my final sip of this, the tart, minty, briny, mineral (sort of rye, actually) aspects of it start to seem a little much. I think an 18 is most appropriate. Thank you @pkingmartin for sharing this one! I really enjoyed the rye character in it and it's made me start wondering about the potential of peated ryes and rye finishes. Did I ever check what this is actually finished in? Not sure. But I sure like how that character that reminds me of a dry, spicy, herbal rye.

This is not your typical Ardbeg (nowadays almost monthly) release. This one has made with love. To commemorate Mickey Heads, who has been Ardbeg's Master Distiller for 13 years and is now retiring. He wouldn't pick any normal Ardbeg for his own tribute, so, there is this Arrrrrrrdbeg! (With 13 letters, one for each year). A lovely looking label with Mickey Heads drawed as a pirate with shortie the dog in his arm. Bottled at 51.8%abv, finished in Rye casks. On the nose... KABOOOM! Bacon, car tires, white wine, green grapes, plastic, horse saddle, pork rind, thick vanilla and Smoke. Yes, it is THAT crazy. After a first sip, the aroma changed into a more maritime profile. Gooseberries, iodine, povidine, and those diet rice rounded cookies. Smells like a pond, a nerf toy, or a water ballon. Very "Rocky" and mineral. Fantastic stuff. On the palate, it is an amazing rollercoaster. Starts with chocolate fudge, salt, sulphur, red fruits, spiciness from rye whiskies. Powerful, yet friendly. Super smooth, smokey, thick delicious vanilla. Aftertaste just follows on how great this whisky is. Chocolate, mint, a pair of new cotton socks, a leather wallet, aniseed and smoke. Very long finish, smokey, tar, petroleum oil. INCREDIBLE. Overall, this whisky felt perfect. Everyone on the tasting event i hosted loved it big time. It is not harsh at all, but super powerful and incredibly complex. A marvelous dram, my score for it is 100 over a 100. Slàinte Mhath Mickey Heads!

The nose starts with a campfire by the ocean with a light breeze blowing the salty air towards you then charred fruits of lemon and orange followed by candied bacon, smoldering peat briquettes that transitions to a mix of new car/tire, gingersnap cookies, and toasted pumpernickel bread with light ethanol burn. The taste is a medium to viscous mouthfeel starting with fruits of lemon, tangerine and dragon fruit, then sea salt caramel, smoked pork belly, freshly opened bag of rubber mulch, gingersnap cookies, white pepper, toasted pumpernickel bread and light oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is long with tangerine peel, dragon fruit, gingersnap cookies, campfire ash, chocolate covered pretzels, charred pork belly, pumpernickel bread and new tires that lingers for minutes. The rye flavors aren’t big or bold in this one, but play as a background note to the Ardbeg character that comes in right towards the end of the nose, taste and light on the finish to help complement those Ardbeg notes and provide something a bit different and interesting. The peat notes are toned down in this much like an older Islay whisky and are well balanced with the rye spices adding some additional notes to the Ardbeg DNA without any note overpowering the rest but work harmoniously together in this tasty dram.

I think I’ve finally arrived at the post hype stage of my ardbeg relationship. I’ve been so disappointed with pretty much every special release since blaaack, that my default stance is to expect to be disappointed. So when I finally got around to pouring the half bottle I shared with a mate (with a full one locked up for enjoying later) I was prepared to be underwhelmed. The nose is very intriguing. Vanilla, sweet candy and peppermint spice with swirls of wood smoke. Im surprised how sweet it is on arrival. Wood smoke and mild peat kick in, but don’t overwhelm. The spices from the rye really round this dram into form. It’s very good. Might be one of my favorite special releases in recent years. Surely ahead of scorch, ardcore, hypernova. It’s a solid sendoff for Mickey.

I stopped chasing the Ardbeg committee releases after the disappointing Drum but on the strength of samples of last year’s release and this latest edition I may have to rejoin the hunt. This delivers pretty much what you would want from a rye-cask edition, adding a sprinkling of extra spice to the Ardbeg goodness. That means a dash of white pepper on top of the gasoline aromas and caraway seed spice in the mouth that lingers through the smoke into the finish. Otherwise it’s a silky, creamy Ardbeg that’s a simple pleasure to drink. By the way, if last year’s edition had a string of a’s in the name and this year’s holds down the r key, does that mean next year’s name will have a string of d’s?

* Nose is, I kid you not: like a smoked shortbread cookie. Some ginger. Lots of sweet baking notes. This is a great nose! * Mouth is ... totally unexpected. Sweet, smoky, sugary, butter, it tastes like the nose indicates: a smoked shortbread or sugar cookie that’s been smoked over a campfire. Some black licorice in there. Super unique. Not the peat bomb Ardbeg usually is. * Finish is where the barrel becomes known. Oak hits, hints of allspice, nutmeg, and leather... some anise. Dry and lingering. The more you breathe, the more sweetness comes through. This is nice. I want to keep sipping this to see what else happens. Every sip the finish reveals more and more.