Ardbeg Ardcore

Review #080 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 46% Comments: No Age Statement, spirit produced using roasted black malt, cask types not specified Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): A pale straw color. Swirling reveals a thin line clinging to the glass's side, with slow-forming legs. Nose: 14/20 Nutty, earthy, with a scent reminiscent of decaying wood. I also detect spent coffee grounds, vanilla, and just a touch of smoldering embers, more of a burnt/charred aroma than smoke. Palate: 27/40 Notes of ash, bitter baking cocoa, spicy oak tannins, black pepper, salt, and coffee grounds. It's quite mild compared to other Ardbeg expressions I've sampled. Finish: 30/40 Medium finish. It starts with smoke, then a hint of lemon citrus emerges, leading to a mild sweetness. Perhaps milk and honey? It fades quickly, leaving behind salt and more smoke, though less intense now. The final taste is that of a dark chocolate-covered espresso bean, which might be my favorite aspect of this dram. With Water: A few drops of water enhance the maltiness in both the nose and palate. Total: 71/100 Final thoughts: Ultimately, this bottle was a letdown. Instead of the expected intense character, I found it to be very mellow and subdued compared to other Ardbegs I've tasted. When I purchased the last bottle, I anticipated it would be similar to other single malts I've enjoyed that used roasted chocolate malt. Upon further research, I now understand these are quite different and yield vastly different flavors. It's an acceptable bottle, but there are many superior options available for a better price that I would prefer to spend my money on. In my view, this is likely the most disappointing Ardbeg special release to date. Price: $115 Would recommend: no Would buy: no Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

The aroma begins with lemon-lime soda, black pepper, and burnt rubber, followed by dark chocolate-covered espresso beans, vanilla extract, and ocean brine. Then come sour apple, mango, and plantain chips, transitioning to candied ginger and gauze bandages, with a moderate ethanol burn. The taste has a thin mouthfeel, starting with lemon-lime soda, black pepper, and burnt rubber, before a mild spice that gradually fades to spicy dark chocolate mocha, vanilla extract, and ocean brine. This is followed by charred pineapple, dehydrated mango, and plantain chips, leading to powdered ginger and gauze bandages, also with a moderate ethanol burn. The finish is medium in length, featuring black pepper, espresso grounds, mango, sour apple, ocean brine, and light ashy oak. Ardbeg named this Ardcore, but I feel it would be better suited as Ardbore. It's an enjoyable dram that balances notes of sour citrus, tropical fruits, earthy spices, ocean brine, and mild peat. However, it's unfortunately quite mellow with thin flavors and suffers from a youthful astringency, finishing rather bitter with light citrus and ash. If this is what biting into a spiky ball is like, it's not an experience I particularly enjoy. At $120 a bottle, I'd much rather purchase a Wee Beastie. A side-by-side comparison with Ardcore showed that the Wee Beastie is far better balanced, with richer and bolder flavors, for less than half the price.

From the Sydney Whisky Show on May 20th, 2023. This was Whisky #29. Smell: It had a yeasty, citrusy aroma with hints of acetone and ash. Also present were notes of privet and salt water, menthol and anise. For an Ardbeg, the aroma was surprisingly relaxed and suggested it was quite young, with a beery scent reminiscent of fermenting ale. Taste: The initial taste featured ashy smoke and pear drops, characteristic of Ardbeg, along with sweeter citrus flavors, some vanilla, and a lively quality as it developed. Towards the end, chocolate, pepper, and salt emerged. The texture was acceptable but not remarkable. The wash-like yeasty flavor from the aroma reappeared, strongly indicating its youth. Finish: Lasted a medium to short time. Included smoke, yeasty beer, brine, and a touch of sweet citrus in the aftertaste. Overall, it was rather uninspiring. The name Ardcore is misleading, as this whisky is far from hardcore and shows no 'punk' qualities. It has no flaws, but it's very young, subtly complex in unusual ways, and tastes more like a promising first attempt from a new distillery than a product from an established maker of distinctly peated whisky. I found it pleasant but not worth seeking out unless you're trying to collect every Ardbeg, especially given its high price point, in my opinion. Like all experimental efforts, it has its niche, but it's not a bottle I'd keep. It was good to sample at a show, though. Rated 80/100 (3 stars) - "Above Average".

My final tasting at the distillery was their latest release, the Ardcore. This expression pays homage to punk rock music and its attitude, and it was created using Black Roasted Barley, a new experiment from the master distiller. As is common with most of their special releases, this one also has a limited edition for members, but this review covers the standard bottling, which is at 46% ABV. On the nose, it presents a yeasty and soft character, with hints of beer and chocolate. Not much else is apparent, but it's enjoyable. On the palate, it follows a similar pattern, featuring chocolate and vanilla notes mingled with a salty yeastiness. The finish is the highlight. It's an explosion of smoke, beer, and yeastiness, with a salty quality. It evokes the sensation of charcoal smoke and burnt wood. It's quite good. Overall, this isn't the distillery's best offering. I initially questioned my own perception, but then I discovered online that this release has faced some criticism, even from a well-known reviewer. I don't consider it a bad drink, just a bit simple, direct, and lacking complex nuances. My rating for it is a disappointing 83 out of 100.

Indeed, it's unmistakably Ardbeg, offering savory brine, abundant peat, smoke, pepper, and smoked meats/fish. I also detect dark chocolate, some dark fruit (like high-quality chocolate, not sherry-influenced), coffee grounds, and perhaps a hint of pear. The finish has burnt bread notes, which isn't necessarily negative. They must have really charred some of their malt. This expression is certainly different, yet very recognizably Ardbeg. I enjoy it - it represents an interesting new path, and I believe Ardbeg has potential for further exploration here. Hopefully, a second iteration will appear down the road.

Wow. I sampled the full proof CR Ardcore at a bar and found it quite good, but I wrongly assumed I wouldn't find a bottle, so I purchased the 46% ABV version... and it's a world of difference. Some of the chocolate notes remain, but the mouthfeel is a complete letdown. Extremely watery. Now I'm hesitant to try Heavy Vapours since I haven't encountered the full proof version yet. I've never been happier to have finished a bottle.