Ardbeg BizarreBQ

I’ve heard that Ardbeg special releases have declined in quality over time. Considering most Committee Releases cost around $150 and their general release counterparts are about $125, this fact, combined with a reputation for being subpar, makes me hesitant to buy. After all, $150 or $125 seems excessive for anything without an age statement or another significant justification for such an expense. To be honest, the most I’ve ever spent on a bottle of whisky was $110 for the Lagavulin Distiller’s Edition, and although it didn’t have a traditional age statement, it had distillation and bottling dates, which served as its own age statement (at least, until recently… if I understand correctly, 2023 DEs lacked distillation and bottling dates?). Regardless, I’ve also heard that this Ardbeg BizarreBQ is quite good, and at $85, its price is more reasonable. The decision is whether to purchase another bottle of Uggie or this, and given my preference for novelty, I chose this last month (in an order that also included Glen Scotia 12 Year Special Release finished in Amontillado Cask, and besides hearing it was good, I have a fondness for Amontillado, if only for its connection to Poe… if you’ll join me, the Glen Scotia is in the basement down this long passage I promise I won’t confine you within and seal with brick!). And well, as for this Ardbeg, the rumors are accurate. It’s quite good. In fact, in a recent review, I noted it strongly resembles the Lagavulin 11 Year Charred Oak Offerman Edition. While people weren’t as enthusiastic about the Offerman Charred Oak as they were about the Stout finish, I understand, but the Charred Oak was also excellent, as is this Ardbeg. The first time I tasted this was a few weeks ago with my father, and we had just finished sampling Laphroaig Lore before turning to this, and the pairing was exceptional. I sometimes find that transitioning from something subtle to something, well, less subtle, works better than the reverse, and that night we were moving from subtle to less subtle, though I hesitate to call this Ardbeg harsh. It’s simply more intense, smokier, and that made a significant difference in my initial tasting. For a moment after sipping, I noticed the palates felt similar. There was a smokiness on the tongue complemented by a sherry sweetness that was quite pleasing on both drams. The nose on the Ardbeg, despite being around 103 proof, isn’t overwhelming even though it’s smoky. It has a BBQ smoke character but isn’t harsh, along with sea salt and vanilla, which is generally very pleasing. On the palate, it continues to feel slightly charred, but not in an overly burnt ashtray or overcooked meat way, more like a well-done steak that’s still enjoyable. But where this truly shines is in the finish. My goodness, it has that palate of sherry sweetness and peat smoke and char, which then transforms into a salted dark chocolate caramel delight on the back end. It doesn’t linger quite as long as I’d prefer. The finish isn’t as swift as a high school student on prom night, but it doesn’t take as long as a seasoned adult film performer shooting his 220th movie where half the runtime is the money shot either. Never mind that. I’ve undoubtedly brought images to everyone’s minds that we’d much rather forget, so moving on, the duration doesn’t necessarily matter when it’s this delicious. As an alternative to Uggie, I’d recommend this to peat enthusiasts, Ardbeg fans, and lovers of smoke and char. I also recently acquired the Laphroaig Cask Strength Batch 16 and will review that soon; I’d say this is closer in palate to Batch 15 of that, which also featured significant char and smoke and perhaps bordered on being excessive. This doesn’t border on excessive but achieves those notes perfectly. In fact, I’d certainly recommend this over Corryvreckan, but naturally, traditionalists might prefer the 10 or An Oa, and that’s acceptable. One thing I’ll note: it bodes well for Ardbeg’s special releases getting back on track. If this is still available after the holidays when my whisky budget resets, I might even buy another bottle. And for me, that’s the highest compliment.

Ardbeg BizarreBQ, with no age statement, is a peated single malt Scotch bottled at 50.9% ABV. It's matured in a mix of double charred oak casks, Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, and special BBQ casks. It retails for $80-90, and I managed to get one at that price. They've managed it. They've created a good Ardbeg at an accessible price. I still collect Ardbeg bottles because they're fun, even though they're often overpriced for the spirit inside. While other distilleries focus on rare casks, Ardbeg sends whisky to space and uses BBQ casks. I don't even care what a BBQ cask means. Did it hold BBQ sauce? Fine by me. Ardbeg BizarreBQ is powerfully simple; it's almost savage. Picture BBQ sauce, cherry wood-smoked beef brisket, and a cigarette ashtray. The finish is like bacon burnt to a crisp. It has a malignancy. I don't care if this was only 5 years old. I don't care if the PX influence was weak and tasted like plastic. This whisky is on a mission to deliver smoke and BBQ. It's here to give you what it promises. From the marketing to the finish, this whisky clearly communicates its identity, something Ardbeg has lacked for a while. I recall being impressed by Lagavulin 16 for its meaty, robust character early in my whisky exploration. This expression takes that meatiness, BBQ sauce, smoke, and ash to an entirely new level.

For me, recent Ardbeg special editions have been quite disappointing, leading me to dismiss them as overpriced marketing ploys, better suited for mixing than sipping neat. However, this one was surprisingly affordable at $90 and had generally positive reviews, so I decided to try it. The aroma presents a mild richness, starting with roasted seaweed, blackberry jam, scorched lemons and limes, and charred meats, followed by dark chocolate-covered raisins, toasted macadamia nuts, and moderate sea spray. Baked figs, slightly tart apple, and tangerines then emerge, leading to subtle baking spices and gauze with a moderate alcohol burn. The taste has a medium mouthfeel, beginning with creamy citrus that shifts to slightly sour red berries and a moderate bitter spice, quickly fading to coffee-rubbed brisket, seaside minerality, and freshly lit pipe tobacco. Salted mangoes, balsamic strawberries, and grilled peaches follow, transitioning into moderate baking spices, gauze, and popsicle sticks with a medium alcohol burn. The finish is of medium length, starting sweet with creamy citrus and slightly sour red berries that recede as charred meats with sea salt come forward to conclude the experience. Overall, this is a very enjoyable dram that skillfully balances sweet, smoky, and sour elements, though it leans a bit too sour for my preference. I'm more sensitive to sour notes than most and believe this would be a great addition for anyone who appreciates smoky drams. Hopefully, Ardbeg will offer more reasonably priced editions like this in the future.

It's been a long time since I truly enjoyed an Ardbeg Special Release. But I can honestly say, and this is a major spoiler, that this Islay distillery has finally produced a worthy whisky. 'Bizarrebq' is a wild name for a dram, designed to evoke a backyard barbecue. In fact, the entire promotion is a collaboration with the popular 'DJ Bbq,' known for his videos cooking with Ardbeg. This was created in PX sherry casks and also in 'Ardbeg's BBQ Casks' (whatever that means). Bottled at 50.9% ABV, this is a core limited edition, a contradictory term but typical of modern marketing. The nose is spectacular. Spanish cured ham; a pair of new socks and ashes. It smells like 'Pancetta' or Brisket, heavily salted to create a delicious dry meat component. Ashtray. The palate begins with salt water, then in a second transforms into crème brûlée with pepper and Ardbeg's potent, swamp-like peatiness. It feels like chewing on the head of a 'He-man' toy from the 1980s. Moss and caramel; peaty and sweet. An incredible experience. The aftertaste is good but a bit plain and direct. Ashes and gunpowder. Salty. Overall, this was a great and powerful release from Ardbeg. They accomplished exactly their goal: to provide a barbecue experience. This whisky would pair wonderfully with smoked foods. Truly lovely. My score is a well-deserved 93 out of 100.

The backstory for this bottling mentions its "BBQ casks" were made from oak charred over a fire with seaweed and birch. This detail wasn't on the final label, which only noted double charred oak, PX sherry, and "unique BBQ casks." While it sounds like a typical marketing ploy, early feedback was positive. On the nose: berries and charcoal smoke, with hints of ham and a vegetal note. The palate is sweet, starting with cinnamon sugar, then strawberry jam, honey ham, tart raspberry barbecue sauce, and chocolate. The smoke intensifies towards the finish, resembling barbecue smoke with a touch of Ardbeg's signature peat. The finish is sooty, with dark chocolate and a meaty barbecue tang. Finding an Ardbeg special release under $100 is rare. This one is actually good! Compared to standard offerings, it's slightly behind some others but far better than another. I purchased a second bottle because I enjoyed it so much. The score is high, partly due to appreciation for Ardbeg finding a successful gimmick and offering it at a reasonable price.

This wonderful bottle is almost gone; I strongly suggest getting one if you can find it as they are no longer being made. For $85, I thought it was a really good purchase; it's uncommon to find a limited Ardbeg release that significantly outperforms its price. It's clearly superior to this year's "Spectacular" when compared, and for me, $40 less expensive. Nose: sweet vanilla is much more noticeable than I recall. Ash and charcoal are present but less intense than I remember. A smoldering peat fire on the beach, with significant salinity as it airs out. Baking and mulling spices, with notes of citrus peel and red currant. Palate: intensely ashy on the initial sip. Develops into a more distinct dark, sweet chocolate with hints of salted caramel and scorched oak. Salinity is present throughout. Peat is definitely here, though not the main feature, providing an umami seaweed taste. Sweet malt and subtle red berries. Finish: ashy, with a brown sugar maple glaze note, peat phenols, and salty air.