This years Ardbeg Day bottling from Ardbeg Distillery is named Grooves. I have had the opportunity to taste it three times already. I also had the pleasure of tasting the Committee Release at Ardbeg Embassy in Stockholm last weekend. I did not take any tasting notes that evening, but the whisky was good 😉
The Committee Release though, is only available for members of the Ardbeg fan club. Today I am sharing my review of the Ardbeg Grooves Limited Edition made available for the public – which is watered down to 46 ABV. In addition to bourbon casks there are some heavily charred wine casks in the whisky. They do not say what kind of wine casks. Here is what they say about the whisky:
Here at Ardbeg, we’ve always been passionate about the benefits of an alternative lifestyle. We dig peat. But we also dig crofting, crocheting, Celtic crosses and campfires.
And for this Limited Edition bottling, we’re rolling back the years to an Islay time gone by – back to village of Peat & Love.
Produced using our grooviest casks ever, aromas of smoked spices combine with distant bonfires fading into a mellow haze of apple and smoked pear.
The whisky is available in Norway at NOK 1 250,30.
Smoky on the nose. Lots of oak. Quite exciting on the nose with a mix of vanilla, iodine, burnt sugar, nail polish remover and leather furniture. The medicinal notes are dominating. Sharp and oaky on the palate. Burnt caramel and smoke. Licorice. A bit watery. The finish is oaky as well. It leaves the palate feeling dry like after eating nuts. Some ammonia and lots of peat! I get licorice here as well.
My score: nose 21 / taste 21 / finish 20 / balance 21 = 83
– Tone
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