Ardbeg Ardbog

I had several outstanding options when selecting a whisky for my 300th review. Following numerous highly-rated drams last month before Whiskyfest that still require official write-ups, I opted for something new. Thanks to a friend from Maryland, I had a taste of this exceptional Ardbeg: Ardbog. This was the Feis Isle festival release from 2013, a blend of various casks aged for ten years in Manzanilla sherry casks. Its color is a deep copper, and it leaves remarkably wide trails in the Glencairn glass. The accompanying box tells stories of ancient artifacts discovered while peat farming on Islay: bronze swords, silver and copper coins, ancient crustacean fossils, and even dinosaur bones. It serves as a fitting tribute to the peat bogs across the island. The initial aroma presents the classic Ardbeg smoke and campfire notes. The sherry casks then make their presence felt, filling the glass with berry and orchard fruits, along with sea spray. The nose achieves a perfect balance between these elements. The palate continues this intense experience: smoked barbecue and bacon, salty air with a deep influence of sherry wine and vanilla oak. It's all incredibly smooth, but I feel the cask sweetness becomes slightly overpowering. I prefer the meaty smoke from Ardbeg to be more prominent, but the cask actually pushes it to the background. It's still fantastic, I simply desire the smoke to lead and the sherry to follow – this is the reverse. The finish is medium to long, warm, and smoky, maintaining a buttery smoothness. It lingers as long as you allow it, which truly brought a smile to my face. Overall, it's almost perfect. I just wish the flavor roles were reversed to suit my preference, but there's no reason to doubt this is a 4.5-star dram. Fortunately, I discovered a bottle of this while exploring in DC last month with acquaintances. It's quite scarce now, so I'm pleased to have one for later. If you encounter this bottle, don't hesitate to purchase it. Excellent spirit. Enjoy.

Ardbog boasts one of the most entertaining and humorous presentations available. The front depicts a fine sword, a bronze item supposedly recovered near Oa. According to the description, "Cut 3 foot into the bog and you'll have dug 1000 years into the past. Dig deeper and you'll discover peat formed from prehistoric vegetation -- the essence of Ardbeg." The sides display more images of historical or prehistoric discoveries from Islay, such as old coins, helmets, and fossils. One of these, a fossilized nautilus, is described as "a very early member of the Clam MacDougall, forefathers of Ardbeg's founders." Haha! In the glass, Ardbog presents a color like deep rust. Ardbog offers scents reminiscent of Woodford Reserve bourbon balls: pecan and chocolate encasing a bourbon-filled center. The Manzanilla adds rich, sweet notes of chocolate and toffee or caramel throughout, unlike the jam or dried fruit notes from other sherry types. A powerful wave of leafy smoke, spice, and leather confirms the intensely peated character of this single malt. Upon tasting, the initial notes are of peat-infused honey, followed by a combination of sea spray and floral notes that I'm beginning to call "spring Ardbeg." Additionally, there's some mulled wine, grapefruit, iodine, and phenols from the peat. The signature Ardbeg citrus is still present, which is understandable given it's 60% Ardbeg 10. The palate has a somewhat harsh, warm edge on certain sips, and more smoke than Ardbeg 10. Ardbegs typically feature complex endings, especially with sherry influence, and Ardbog follows this trend. Licorice, cream, and intense smoke are the initial flavors. It possesses a slight bitterness and herbal quality, with the grapefruit emerging prominently. This is among the smokiest, most substantial Ardbeg expressions I've experienced. Is Ardbog my ultimate favorite Ardbeg? I don't believe so, though it's quite close to my preferred ones, such as Ardbeg Day or Dark Cove. This particular Ardbeg special edition justifies its existence, rather than simply funding the compensation for LVMH's exceptional marketing team.

$30 for a 1-ounce pour at Jack Rose. Whiskies aged in sherry casks were superior in past years. This isn't me being pretentious about contemporary whiskies; it's the reality. Hardly anyone drinks sherry nowadays, and the casks are depleted. At the conclusion of their meal, people don't opt for an Osborne VORS sherry to finish the evening. Not anymore – not with today's easily distracted individuals. The casks that previously held quality, drinkable sherry are now like the nearly extinct white rhinoceros. Modern sherry casks, particularly those used for whiskies that are still affordable, contain only undrinkable sherry, intended merely to season the wood and then be discarded, like a failed zoo animal birth. But that's not as bleak as Ardbog (transitioning topic!). When you compare this sherry-matured powerhouse to Dark Cove, even the Dark Cove Committee Release, you can tell the Dark Cove CR, 'You are not sherry-matured.' Ardbog still falls short of the very first Uigeadails ever produced. For those rare remaining wild rhinos, I'd happily pay the current bottle price for a pour of the original Uigeadail. However, deciphering the bottle code, let alone finding and reading it, is too much effort for me. Ardbog serves as my convenient option. I can easily read the label, and it reminds me of a time when Ardbeg had ample supply of quality sherry casks. This creature of the bogs is dense, oily, and peaty. It offers abundant layers of earthy and smoky flavors over savory rabbit braised in wild berry reduction. The minerality, with its sodium and iodine content, strengthens my constitution. The dry, coastal sherry influence on an Islay scotch is perfection. While not exceptionally complex, this whisky stands out as a young spirit that flawlessly combines peat and sherry. Its density is such that if you spilled some on the bar, it would leave an impression. Score: ** (exceptionally good) Bottle Cost: $250-350 (secondary market) Perceived Value: $300

This is a distinctly different Ardbeg, but unlike the "Blasda" expression, this one is successful. The 2013 Feis Isle bottling, Ardbeg Ardbog, pays tribute to Islay's peat bogs, formed over millennia. You might even be tasting ancient particles within this whisky. Bottled at 52.1% ABV with a golden hue, this single malt was matured in Bourbon and Manzanilla Sherry casks. The nose presents some extraordinary Ardbeg aromas: an initial scent like an oriental rug, followed by caramel, mint, and damp earth. There were also notes of polystyrene, an Amazon box, shoe boxes, silicone pads, rubber, and soccer socks. All of these elements were present and it was quite enjoyable. The palate was absolutely astonishing. It was remarkably citrusy, especially for an Ardbeg, with flavors of tangerine, grapefruit, and gooseberries. A second taste revealed orange, milk chocolate, and salty water. A third sip brought even more: coffee and oranges. The finish was out of this world. It began with a vanilla fondant, then released a small fiery sensation from within that emerged after 10 seconds, leaving a sulfuric, peppery aftertaste. In conclusion, an incredibly intriguing whisky, completely unlike other Ardbegs, and notably easier to drink. I loved it, the marketing, and the overall experience. While it's a bit pricey nowadays, it remains worthwhile. My score is 100 out of 100. Cheers!

Nose: Ripe strawberries, white almonds, followed by aged peat, suggesting maturity, medicinal notes, moss, sweet and rich sherry aromas, and freshly cut pine wood – it's certainly potent. The peat differs from typical Ardbeg expressions, likely due to the unique manzanilla sherry casks used for its decade-long maturation. It's exceptionally good. Later, considerable vanilla emerges with hints of lemon, butter pastry, dry grass, and syrupy sherry. Palate: Tingling, cool, and acidic, immediately followed by a cool ash sensation – still distinct from my usual Ardbeg experiences. Fruity and fresh with a slight sweetness, then notes of yellow fruits (peaches and similar) alongside a range of citrus fruits, wood chips, and fresh resin. Very lively, powerfully present, and vibrant. Finish: Robust and flavorful, intense and seemingly endless, with notes of apples and vanilla. A subtle woody bitterness. Adding water reduces the peatiness of the nose, making it sweeter – reminiscent of creamy sweetened condensed milk. This whisky offers a highly engaging and fascinating drinking experience. Its aromas and flavors are so intense and varied. I had it previously at a pub some months ago and recall appreciating it slightly more, so I am eager to see how it evolves with time.

An potent, Single Malt Scotch from Islay, Scotland, released as a limited edition by Ardbeg during the Fèis Ìle whisky festival. Aged for 10 years in a mix of bourbon and some Manzanilla sherry casks, it was created for 'Ardbog Day' on June 1st, 2013. It offers an aromatic beginning with hints of sea salt and brine, dark fruit, and touches of barbecue, maple syrup, plum, orange, mint, and more herbal notes, along with a hint of tomato vine and coffee; it then develops a dry character with notes of salt-crusted raisins, rich nuttiness, and pickled onions; concluding with a long and complex finish featuring red chili heat and paprika. July 2017 / April 2018 / August 2022