It has no age statement, but from what I understand, its matured for at least ten years in classic ex-bourbon barrels and “rare” — whatever that means — ex-Manzanilla casks (an extremely dry sherry).

Make sure to check out the two other Ardbegs I reviewed today: Blasda and Galileo.

Facts

Nose

Maybe a bit salty, but not so peaty at first. Cherries, plums, brown sugar and walnuts. A bit lemony. Tobacco, vanilla and marzipan.

Mouth

Surprisingly punchy on the palate. Smoke and ash. Very salty, the Manzanilla comes really through now. Walnuts, cherries and lemons, followed by pepper, burned caramel, licorice and wood polish. A bit of tobacco. Gets pretty bitter and oaky towards the end.

Finish

Long. Spicy and dry. Smoke, peat ash and lemon salts. Caramel.

Thoughts

Pretty wood driven, the spirit has not much to say. Maybe a bit too Ardbeg-unlike for the purists, but I like it!

Score: very good and highly recommended (89 / 100)

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

Facts

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)

The first one for today is the Ardbeg Blasda, which is Gaelic for “sweet and delicious”. Only 8ppm (in the spirit), chill-filtered, bottled at 40% ABV… Well, it’s never a good thing to judge a whisky by its label, but this doesn’t sound really Ardbeg-like to me.

Facts

Nose

Light, very light indeed. Surprisingly some peat smoke and ash, very little but more than expected. Rather fruity with green apples, fresh lemons and some kiwis. Small hints of salty caramel and vanilla.

Mouth

A tad more smokey and ashy now, but not a lot. All the fruits are back plus some peaches and lemon zest.

Finish

Short and fruity. Pretty lemony with hints of peat smoke.

Thoughts

Yeah…not really sweet, but definitely not un-tasty. A decent enough dram for summer I guess, but nothing special in my books. I’m simply not a big fan of this lighter than usual style.

Score: average but worth a try (80 / 100)

Single Cask Seasons is a bottling series from independent bottler Signatory Vintage for Kirsch Whisky Import. The goal of this series is to find a whisky that matches the season of the year. This time they bottled a 11 year old Bunnahabhain, matured in a 1st Fill Sherry Butt.

Facts

Nose

Very lovely and unbelievable fruity. Cherries, oranges, peaches, raspberries and frosted strawberries, followed by caramel, hints of mint and some freshly chopped nuts, maybe hazelnuts. No smoke, but a very light maritime touch. Warm marzipan and a bit of vanilla.

Taste

Unexpected punchy and intense. Cherries, plums and spicy vanilla. A bit oaky and peppery. Cooked oranges and cherry tobacco. Seaweed and sea salt. Some smoke, but really just a tiny bit.

Finish

Long and warm. Hints of smoke, sweet fruits and salt. Pipe tobacco, citrus and wood.

Overall

A very fine young Bunnahabhain from a good sherry butt — intense, punchy and wonderful fruity. Well worth the money (70€)!

Score: very good and highly recommended (90 / 100)

Last year’s Laphroaig 2001 Feis Ile Bottling was absolutely outstanding, so I have high expectations for this one.

Facts

Nose

Surprisingly mineral and salty (sea salt), with a good portion of peat and sweetish vanilla flavored smoke. Peaches, alongside other orchard fruits. Hints of cacao powder and smoked ham. Maybe some wild berries.

Taste

Lots of sweet barley at first, followed by chili chocolate and frosted orange peel. Gets more chocolaty, reminds me quite a bit of a thick chocolate drink now. Ends on notes of green apples.

Finish

Long. The peat smoke comes back. Malty and slightly spicy with fruity sweetness. A little bit chocolaty, too.

Overall

Maybe a bit too spicy and raw on the palate, but besides that, this is another well selected Feis Ile bottling from Douglas Laing. It’s definitely worth the price (about 150€) if you don’t mind to pay a Feis Ile premium. That said, I liked last year’s Laphroaig a lot more, but maybe that’s because I prefer Laphroaig over Bowmore in general. Anyways, if you are lucky to find a bottle, go ahead and buy one. You will not reget it!

Score: very good and highly recommended (89 / 100)

Single Cask Seasons is a bottling series from independent bottler Signatory Vintage for German whisky importer Kirsch Import. The goal of this series is to find a whisky that matches the season of the year.

As for the pricing… around 100€  for a 14 years old expression? A bit ambitious if you ask me, especially because the excellent Clynelish 1996 (Spring 2015) did cost only 90€. Where is it all going to end?

Facts

Nose

Smoky but not that peaty. Notes of medicine and iodine. Pretty dry with dried logs, dried cloves and dried oranges. Some fruits, most notable smoked banana chips. Very slight traces of sherry and vinegar in the background. A bit of lavender perfume, too. Gets sweeter with some time in the glass.

Taste

Vibrant and warm but way, way less sweet than expected. Smoked cough syrup, and then sherry, sherry and even more sherry. Sugared citrus peels and sweet oranges. Gets drier towards the end with dried oak and old leather.

Finish

Medium with a fruity sweetness. Ember and charcoal.

Overall

Very yummy although the taste is completely different than the nose would suggest.

Score: good but not exceptional (86 / 100)

Sample provided by spiritscorner.eu

Now, it’s time for  the fourth of the pack: Port Charlotte 2003. Only 180 bottles available for 90€ a pop.

Facts

Port Charlotte 2003 (for Whic Whiskycircle)

Nose

Sweet smoked bacon, dipped in lots of sweet BBQ sauce. Gets a bit spicier with green pepper and vanilla beans. The whole is rounded off by mountain peach and kiwi.

Taste

Strong and warming. A very pleasant balance between hot pepper and sweet nougat. Then limes and vanilla honey come along. The peated smoke is noticeable but not overpowering. In fact, it’s very well integrated. Dark chocolate, candied almonds and walnuts make an appearance at the end.

Finish

Long and warming with a slight dryness. Ash and again dark chocolate.

Overall

Not a classic peat monster, but I have no problem with that. The smoke is very well integrated and enhances the other flavors perfectly. 

Score: 86 / 100

Sample provided by whic.de

The second one is another Bruichladdich, distilled in 2003 and matured in a sherry hogshead. Only 36 bottles available for 110€ a pop.

Facts

Bruichladdich 2003 (for Whic Whiskycircle)

Nose

Hints of sweet malt balanced by the spicy flavor of smoked bacon. Is the smokehouse located near a beach? Seems so, because the smell of sun dried seaweed and sea salt is in the air. Then green apples, honey dew melons, white peaches and some oranges emerge, rounded off by a few green coffee beans.

Taste

Unexpected strong with a brief sweetness, followed by the spiciness of black pepper and ginger. A bit of smoke accompanied by candied citrus peels and a whiff of coffee.

Finish

Medium. Drying with a light sweetness. Lemons, salt and hints of bonfire smoke.

Overall

This is a rich Bruichladdich with a lot of power and intensity. I like it!

Score: 84 / 100

Sample provided by whic.de

The first one is a Bruichladdich, distilled in 2009, matured in a bourbon barrel for 9 years and afterwards bottled at cask strength. Only 48 bottles available for 83€ a pop.

Facts

Bruichladdich 2006 (for Whic Whiskycircle)

Nose

Piles of vanilla, joined by warm white honey and a tang of cinnamon. There is also some dried seaweed in between. Followed by white peach, candied apples and a touch of melons. Something floral in the background – maybe lavender?

Taste

The entrance on the palate is sweet, yet powerful. Warm caramel sauce. Then some pepper corns, ginger and salt, leaving a slight tingling on the tongue. A noticeable sourness of grapefruits comes through towards the end.

Finish

Rather short to medium with a slight sourness. Caramelized mountain peach and a whiff of pepper.

Overall

A well selected bourbon barrel which does not mask the distillery character.

Score: 85 / 100

Sample provided by whic.de

I wish all my readers and their families a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I will be back after the Holidays for my year-end review. New episodes will come out on January 7th.

Facts

Bunnahabhain 1991 (TWA ‘Circus’)

Nose

Very fruity with raisins, figs, dried fruits and baked apples. Cacao powder and burned vanilla crescents. A hint of fresh polished wood in the back.

Taste

Incredible smooth and buttery soft! Also very fruity. The sherry is even more noticeable now. Dried citrus fruits and some spices. Followed by dark chocolate, nougat and dried red apples.

Finish

Long. Mild and warming with a slight dryness. Again sherry, accompanied by nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon and a bit of chocolate.

Overall

A truly wonderful aged Bunnahabhain with a tremendous amount of complexity and depth.

Score: 89 / 100