Ardbeg Alligator

Some whiskies are legendary, passed down through generations as mind-blowing experiences. Ardbeg's "Alligator" is one such whisky. This special limited edition from 2011, though seeming recent, was released 12 years ago. Dr. Bill Lumdsen named it "Alligator" due to the heavily charred oak casks used for maturation, creating deep grooves where the whisky interacted intensely with the wood. Bottled at 51.2% ABV. On the nose, it's spectacular. It begins with a scent like new cotton socks, cotton candy, and povidone iodine – a wonderful, intriguing aroma. It also has notes of coffee, dulce de leche, like an espresso. IT SMELLS EXACTLY LIKE TARGET STORES. There are also notes of scotch tape, caramelized bacon, and meat. After the first sip, the nose develops hints of gunpowder, swamp, and wet plants. The palate is incredibly and unexpectedly sweet. Dulce de leche, vanilla, toffee, and marshmallows, all enhanced by pepper. The second sip reveals smoke and pepper. Aftertaste provides a perfect conclusion. My notes say "this **** is great!". It's brown sugar with smoke, a salt bomb, rubber, and moss. A delightful punch. Overall, I'm serious: this might be the finest Ardbeg I've ever tasted, rivaling some Supernova expressions. This legendary dram lives up to its reputation. It earns a perfect score of 100 in my book. Sláinte!!!

Ardbeg Alligator Untamed Release. This 2011 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky is intense. It was aged similarly to the standard 10-year-old, with the addition that some of the whisky matured in heavily charred American white oak barrels. These barrels are charred so much they crack internally, resembling alligator skin. It begins creamy and aromatic with notes of charcoal, mulled wine, lemon icing sugar, vanilla, yogurt, BBQ, hints of gingerbread, tangy apricots, and burnt sugar. Its creamy and zesty life adds notes of grapefruit, lemon, BBQ sauce, ginger, and orange zest, along with leather, a touch of icing sugar, cocoa, gingernut biscuits, and smoke. It concludes with a long, sweet, and creamy finish featuring notes of pepper and smoldering peat. December 2018 / March 2019 / August 2022

Nose - Gentle vanilla; a whiff of earthy peat smoke; orange zest; white chocolate; charred wood Palate - White chocolate; peaches; earthy peat; ginger; lemons; cocoa powder; a hint of BBQ sauce Finish - Long, oily finish with peat smoke; creamy vanilla; black pepper This whisky is excellent. It has the perfect level of warmth. The nose is beautiful, the palate is fantastic and oily, and the finish is long and full of peat. Does it differ significantly enough from the Ardbeg 10 to justify a $400 price difference? I don't think so. While this is a superb whisky, I recommend the 10-year-old, which is equally stunning for about $50.

Overall: Another win from Ardbeg, offering a sweet and sour smoky character that's enjoyable. It doesn't quite reach the heights of “the Beast,” but Ardbeg is certainly challenging Talisker for my top distillery spot. Color: Burnt gold Nose: Honey, smoke, oak, vanilla, citrus, buttered rum, and chocolate. Adding water reveals a briny quality and mint (unbelievable). Body: Medium, with a silky smooth texture. Taste: Sweet and tangy, featuring hardwood charcoal and spicy notes. Water enhances the saltiness. Finish: Lingering and peppery, with hints of charcoal embers and white chocolate. Score: 88

Another rare find from this week’s Ardbeg tasting and another success. Take the usual peppery aroma and add some sweet cinnamon. This theme persists on the palate and finish: it’s sweet, rich, and peppery in the mouth and has a very long aftertaste of creamy cinnamon. Difficult to select favorites from the outstanding lineup of the night, but this was the one I chose when we were finishing the bottles at the end of the evening.

Review from a tasting on 12-29-18: This is a lively dram with a bit of a kick. When tasted neat, it's full of sweetness, peat, and warmth. This holds true with each subsequent sip. A tiny bit of water temporarily mellows it, then it explodes with flavor and a long, lingering finish. Moderately complex and very tasty!