Ardbeg Galileo

Ardbeg Galileo is definitely not whisky from outer space. Keep repeating this fact to yourself, to the staff at your liquor store, to your colleagues who fancy themselves whisky experts, and even to your pet who you believe can communicate with you. Disregard any nonsensical claims suggesting otherwise. The stories circulating about this 2012 Ardbeg release claim it was smuggled into space or ordered by the international space station. These are false. The bottle is a tribute to Galileo, the astronomer, and Ardbeg's involvement in a study on barley germination in zero gravity. They provided grain for the experiment, with identical grain kept on Earth for comparison to observe changes in space. That's the extent of it. The spirit is composed of 12-year-old stock from first and second-fill bourbon barrels, mingled with whisky finished in Marsala wine casks. It's bottled without chill-filtration but includes added coloring and is at 49% ABV. Current pricing fluctuates between $215 and $400, if available. Is it worth the cost? In a word, yes. It presents a lovely deep copper-gold hue with substantial, viscous legs and heavy droplets, indicating an oily texture that carries through to the taste. The aroma features characteristic peat smoke with a spicy undertone. There's a slightly unusual, fermented, and overly ripe berry note present throughout the scent. Raspberries and green grapes were the first flavors that came to mind as I spent a considerable amount of time nosing this (I was sidetracked during the tasting). The palate delivers a complex mix of sweet, salty, and savory notes from the wine cask. The bourbon cask component provides an oily, rich vanilla flavor, along with a distinct tobacco character. The smoke is surprisingly subdued, which I find enhances the overall experience. This drinks more like a dessert whisky than a typical smoky Ardbeg. The finish is lengthy, sweet, oily, and warming, concluding with a spicy note right at the end. The smoke finally makes its presence known here, with a smoky burn and spice that harmonize beautifully. In conclusion, this is an exceptional Ardbeg for its age. The 'space whisky' narrative is merely a diversion. Purchase this bottle and enjoy it. The whisky within will provide a journey for your palate far beyond any space voyage. I located a couple of bottles online from The Netherlands for $215 and now regret not buying more – not for collecting, but for enjoyment. This is a magnificent Ardbeg. Rated 4.5 stars. Cheers.

Curiously, this is an enjoyable bottle, though not my top pick from this collection due to a quality that, in other bottles, would be highly valued: its near-perfect equilibrium! It's almost *too* well-balanced. Most Ardbeg releases feature a pronounced flavor streak, whether it's a sharp ash heap, engine char, or campfire smoke (Ardbog); a musty, fungal, and cheesy funk (Supernova); a dominant kale and seaweed vegetable blend (Kelpie); or some other bold characteristic. Galileo incorporates many of these elements, but they are quite restrained... lacking the powerful impact of the others in the series. What makes this bottle rather appealing, and a standout among Ardbegs, is the variety of unique taste notes it presents: the nose offers medicinal and adhesive strip qualities, certainly, but also a surprising citrus presence, including orange peel, marmalade, green grapes, banana (less so clove), and a touch of grass, transitioning into more malt-forward notes like nugget, butterscotch, and meringue. While these appear in other Ardbegs, Galileo showcases them more effectively than other releases. Nevertheless, the presentation doesn't deliver the intense flavor experience I've come to expect from Islay's most daring distillery. The aroma is the most satisfying aspect. The palate becomes thinner, with a mild pepper and ash concluding in a medium, oily, slightly drying finish which, regrettably, is again rather weak (unlike drams like Uigeadail where it lasts indefinitely). There are hints of solvent, pencil eraser, bubble gum, and possibly brown sugar, but it concludes too quickly. Good, but not a remarkable Ardbeg. Still, it surpasses most spirits available.

The renowned Ardbeg Galileo, a whiskey that deceived everyone. If you're unaware of this whiskey's backstory, let me explain that it's a fabricated yet incredible one. It appears that Ardbeg's marketing team, or a similar entity, ensured through unofficial websites and social media that a portion of this whiskey was sent into space... Yes, that's correct. The story was that a cask of whiskey was transported to space aboard a shuttle destined for the international space station, where it aged for a short period as part of a scientific experiment to observe how whiskey matured beyond Earth. This, of course, did not occur. Ardbeg officially stated that Ardbeg Galileo is a tribute to a scientific discovery related to space. Now, let's discuss the whiskey. Bottled at 49% ABV, it has an age statement. It indicates distillation in 1999 and bottling in 2012. The entire label is quite mysterious, featuring a rocket and the year 1999 prominently. The bottle itself is beautiful. It was matured in ex-bourbon barrels and finished in Sicilian Marsala red wine casks. On the nose, you'll find lemon, pear, and very acidic aromas. There's the signature Ardbeg peat; a very perfumed peat. Grapefruit, vanilla, and toffee are also present. On the palate, it's incredibly smooth. Red fruits appear briefly, likely from the wine casks, followed by peat. Vanilla and lemon are also noticeable. The finish has notes of burnt tobacco and pepper. This is a very well-rounded whiskey. Overall, this is a superb dram, a highly collectible bottle, but it feels like it could be slightly improved in every aspect. It's lovely, but for the price, Uigeadail is a superior choice. 88/100

Another fantastic sample from a friend, thanks again. This is a rich, oily, and balanced Ardbeg. Many of the standard offerings I've encountered lately have declined in quality; the current versions just aren't the same, and tasting older samples like this confirms that for me. In fact, I'm in the minority as I no longer enjoy any of the standard releases. I much prefer older bottlings, including this one, as well as some of the newer special releases. I've only had three drams from a set provided by a friend and am looking forward to the rest!

A well-rounded whisky that underwent a unique finishing process in zero gravity. What initially seemed like a science fiction concept became reality in 2011. It was distilled in 1999 and then aged in both ex-Marsala and ex-Bourbon casks before its 2012 release. It presents an aromatic beginning with hints of pineapple slices, dried coconut, toffee, spice, and phenolic peat. Its maturation introduced notes of salt, cream, and dried apricot, culminating in a smooth and sweet conclusion with earthy smoke characteristics. November 2017 / May 2018 / August 2022

A well-balanced blend of smoke, fruit, and floral notes from the peat aged in Marsala casks. Aroma: Smoke, Salted Caramel, Tinned Pineapples, Strawberries, Salted Caramel, Iodine, Salted Cod, Sultanas, Raspberries, Violets, Lavender, Peaches Taste: Smoke, Raisins, Ioidines, Dark Chocolate, Pineapples, Bananas, Salted Caramel, Morello Cherries, Beef, Mangoes, Honey, Sultanas, Figs, Blackberries Finish: Raisins, Smoke, Salted Caramel, Cod, Hazlenuts, Almonds, Strawberries, Blackberries, Nutmeg