Next up is the Ardbeg Galileo, named after the 17th Italian astronomer, physicist, engineer, philosopher, and mathematician Galileo Galilei. Since Ardbeg released this bottling to celebrate their first ever experiment in space, the name seems like a good fit.

This 12 year old expression was matured in a mix of ex-bourbon barrels and some ex-Marsala casks from Sicily.

Facts

Name:	Ardbeg Galileo
Vintage:	1999
Bottled:	June 2012
Age:	12 Years Old
Category:	Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery:	Ardbeg
Cask Type:	Ex-Marsala and Ex-Bourbon Casks
Number of Bottles:	15,000
Strength:	49.0% vol.
Colored:	No
Chill Filtered:	No

Nose

Sweet and creamy, but not that peaty for an Ardbeg. Hot chocolate with whipped cream. Pineapples, bananas and lemons. Pencil shavings. Hints of vanilla and popcorn.

Mouth

A bit all over the place. Peaty and zesty, but also dry and fruity. Peaches, tea leaves, pepper, lemons and apricots. A few walnuts, too.

Finish

Long, dry and spicy. Peat smoke with hints of fruits and salt.

Thoughts

The nose is great, but the palate is kinda weird. Not in a bad way, it’s just a bit inconsistent in my opinion. That said, I like the general sweetness of this expression, although I guess it’s a bit too sweet for the Ardbeg purists.

Score: good but not exceptional (86 / 100)