Ardbeg Dark Cove Committee Release

Ardbeg Distillery released Ardbeg Dark Cove for Ardbeg Day in 2016. I tasted it 28 May 2016 at The Whisky Bar in Oslo. You can read about it here.

This Summer I got the chance to taste Ardbeg Dark Cove Committee Release at Ardbeg Embassy in Stockholm. This is a special bottling of Dark Cove, only for the members of the Committee. It is bottled 25 November 2015 at 55 ABV, which is higher compared to Dark Cove being bottled at 46,5 ABV. The name is supposed to indicate this being the darkest Ardbeg ever released. It is a mix of bourbon and sherry casks.

So, what do I think about the Committee Release? Wow! Delicious! Warm and sweet on the nose. The sherry notes are prominent. As is the peat. Dried fruits, fresh licorice, peaches and ammonia lozenges. Massive and complex! A hint of something metallic, but not in a bad way. Sweet peat on the palate. It is still warm and massive. Salt, chilli, vanilla, peaches, fruits, honey melon and fresh licorice. The finish i peppery. White pepper. It tingles on the palate. Sweet. Fresh licorice. A rich and well balanced whisky.

My score: nose 24 / taste 24 / finish 22 / balance 23 = 93

I might have another dram of this one when I am going back to Stockholm this Christmas 🙂

– Tone