Ardbeg Kelpie

Anyone with an Instagram account has surely seen this bottle numerous times. Every Ardbeg special edition seems to sell out fast and then appears at a crazy price on resale markets. That said, I was keen to taste "Kelpie" for a long time. As usual, there's a nice story behind it. A Kelpie is a mythical Scottish water spirit from lochs, capable of changing its form, often to a horse but sometimes to human shape. Some say a Kelpie in human form still has hooves. The Loch Ness Monster is the most famous Kelpie, so the entire legend is fantastic. Let's discuss the whisky. It's bottled at Ardbeg's standard 46% abv, is non-chill filtered, and aged in "Black Sea" oak casks from Russia alongside bourbon casks. Black Sea oak comes from the Quercus Hartwissiana tree, which grows near the Black Sea. Quite fascinating. On the nose, it's a bit peculiar. It starts weak but develops into a pleasant aroma. Initially, you get typical Ardbeg peat, but with a citrus and mossy quality. Underneath the very medicinal peat, there's some dark chocolate fudge. It feels oily on the nose, which is unusual for me. It's like smelling a strong mint candy. After three minutes, notes of pork and BBQ emerge. It improves because that mint/citrus scent wasn't very appealing, but after five minutes, it's all about chocolate brownies and smooth vanilla. After the first taste, the nose transformed into a dessert. Abundant chocolate, pears, and creamy vanilla. Subsequent sips only made it sweeter: a vanilla explosion, brownies, butter, a bakery. I'm unsure where all this came from, especially given how different it was initially. On the palate, it's very easy to drink but lacks complexity. It resembles a smooth wine with an Ardbeg character. The first sip is peaty, then it shifts to vanilla ice cream with a touch of pepper. The vanilla intensifies with more sips, and perhaps some prunes are present. The finish isn't typical Ardbeg. It's a delightful chocolate cake. The peat is subdued nicely. You aren't overwhelmed by the peat, yet your lips feel scorched after thirty seconds by a salty and gingery sensation. It's all about creamy vanilla, moss, and subtle smokiness. I can't figure out why my mouth tastes peaty later on, as you don't really notice it when you'd expect to... perhaps it's a peaty spirit that appeared unexpectedly, a true kelpie. Overall, this isn't a standard Ardbeg, and it's certainly not a typical dram. What I've described is a wild transformation of scents and tastes in a strange but not unpleasant way. My rating is a solid 85 out of 100, and I recommend you try it to discover the peculiar characteristics this whisky offers. Cheers!

The 2015 Perpetuum was decent. I doubt I'll ever try the Dark Cove. However, I did happen upon the 2017 bottling -- this Kelpie. I believe I paid way too much for this; in fact, I'm sure I did. But back in 2020, when I obtained it, I had to pay to participate. And pay I did. I will attempt to not let the cost influence the score too much, as I spent over twice what I estimate the original retail price was. Let's have a look. Smell: Campfire smoke, peat, iodine, sea salt, brine. Initially, there's some dark fruit. Blueberry, plum, and pomegranate juice. This evolves into pierogi, smoked sausage, bacon, and brisket over time. Tennis ball. Lemon and grapefruit. Vanilla custard. I'm uncertain if it's the leaves or something else in the air, but there's a sense of autumn air here. Particularly when you start a fire on an October evening. Black pepper and cinnamon. A lot of oak in the background. Incredible. Taste: More of the campfire smoke hits powerfully. The medicinal notes are subdued, giving way to some sweeter elements. Vanilla, dark chocolate, and Golden Teddy Grahams. Some seaweed and sea salt. Briny notes are also less pronounced than on the nose. The smoked brisket carries over from the nose. As do the blueberry and pomegranate, now joined by blackberry and raspberry. Lemon and grapefruit. Black and red pepper. Fantastic. Finish: It begins with campfire smoke, then black pepper and cinnamon. Black bean red pepper chili. Peat, citrus, and dark chocolate notes conclude a medium-long finish. A pleasant conclusion. I pledged not to let the price compromise my assessment since I was so late to the game with this one. I'm happy I spent the money for it, even if $200 is an outrageous amount. This one decisively surpasses the Perpetuum when compared directly. It possesses the balance, depth, and character of any superior Islay, while simultaneously showcasing a distinctive profile. 4.75. I wish I had known to purchase this when it was initially released. If I'm fortunate, this shop will still have another one for me -- and naturally, it will be the same cost. Another $200 purchase for something that likely debuted below $200. Nevertheless, for this particular bottle, I'd consider the money well spent.

This Ardbeg, released for the Feis Isle festival, is named after a mythical water creature. This review is for the standard bottling at 46% ABV, which, like most Ardbegs, is non-chill filtered and has no color added. Crafted mainly from a special selection of virgin oak casks and other Ardbeg stock, it presents a beautiful, bright yellow-gold color with slow, watery legs. The aroma leads with smoke, balanced by sweet Gala apples and a hint of lemon zest, along with some tropical fruit notes. Brine and seaweed add sharpness. The initial taste offers earthy, salty peat, traditional smoke, and intense, bittersweet chocolate. The finish is long and drying, with peppery oak, salinity, and seaweed lingering. It's another fantastic NAS dram from Ardbeg, though less complex than Oog-a-dal or Corryvreckan. I would gladly make this a regular in my collection. The price is a bit higher due to the festival release, but it's worth the extra cost. It's a magical dram that I recommend seeking out. You won't be disappointed.

This year's yearly release from Ardbeg is Kelpie. It was aged in virgin oak from the Black Sea coast. This is the standard edition, not the committee release I'll be reviewing later. It's bottled at 46% ABV and is non-chill filtered. I believe it also has a natural, pale gold color. A full and rich nose. The peat smoke is abundant but also quite sweet. Notes of lemon cake and buttery blueberry muffins. The lemon is prominent here, but sweeter than in the 10 Year Old, which I find a bit tart. Hints of fireplace ashes, creosote, and tar. It's beautiful. Plenty of creamy vanilla, apples, pears, and apricots. Salty seaweed, tobacco, and leather. A truly wonderful aroma. The Black Sea oak provides a very different character compared to Corryvreckan, though it doesn't quite match its complexity (likely due to the 46% ABV compared to Corryvreckan's 57.1%). After some time, it becomes sweeter, like maple syrup. I could enjoy smelling this all day. The palate is smoky and sweet. Not overly intense at 46%, it's quite smooth. Massive peat smoke, ashes, and a seashore character. Peppery oak, licorice, and lemon cakes. Rich oak, clove, and ginger. Vanilla cream, salted caramels, and chocolate. It's marvelous. It has a medium to full body, feeling oily initially but then becoming dry. The finish is long, smoky, and resembles sweet syrup. It finishes dry. Simply Ardbeg. I adore Ardbeg! So much flavor. Smoke, smoke, smoke. Again, not as complex as the superb Corryvreckan, but more so than the 10 Year Old. The Black Sea oak truly added a nice dimension to this one. At around $110, I'd say it's worth the price. Not perfect, but really good. I'm eager to try the committee release. A big thank you to Pranay for providing this sample. A solid 4.5 rating. Cheers

This is the 2017 Ardbeg Day release. There's a rumor that whatever virgin black magic black sea cask this Ardbeg was aged in made the whisky “too intense,” so it had to be blended with some Ardbeg Ten. This is what's wrong with the current state of the whisky industry! Can't even let the spirit have some freedom on a special yearly limited release. What a shame. The Kelpie resembles an Ardbeg doing a decent imitation of a Port Charlotte or Octomore. It is incredibly salty, peppery, and savory. It's the most maritime Ardbeg Day I can recall, but it's also earthy and reminiscent of a farm. The name Kelpie technically refers to a mythical sea creature, but I'm sure the people at Ardbeg also recognize that this stuff tastes like sea plants. Brown, briny, slightly sweetened, very umami, seaweed and kelp, washed ashore on a mushroom farm. I'm disappointed if there's an uncensored version of this whisky that wasn't allowed to reach the market (perhaps the committee release is what I imagine? Or is it just an undiluted version of the standard release?). Even so, this is my favorite Ardbeg Day release since 2013’s Ardbog, including this year's quite impressive Blaaack. What hinders it is a metallic quality found in many current Ardbegs and an unsatisfying glimpse into a truly exceptional whisky that Ardbeg, before it had to concern itself with global popularity, would have confidently seen through. Score: * (unforgettably good) Bottle cost: $100-130 if you can still find it at retail. Now up to $200 on the secondary market. My estimated bottle value: $130

On the nose, a sweetness with a smoky, briny seaweed quality emerges. Notes of nuts and caramel are present alongside sharp lemon polish and a hint of iodine. It strongly resembles other Ardbeg expressions. Can I have a taste? The palate is met with a deep, rich char reminiscent of peat. It's almost tar-like, but undertones of brown sugar balance the tarry bitterness. As the sweetness fades, notes of oak, black pepper, and dark chocolate emerge, leading to the finish. A lemon zest forms the base of the finish, with cigar ash and coal tar taking the forefront. A touch of black pepper adds some spice, creating a deep, earthy end. Built on an Ardbeg foundation, this is very satisfying for peat enthusiasts. While it offers peaty and sweet-brine notes, it suffers from a somewhat hurried quality and a youthful character. The flavors are present but not particularly vivid (Perhaps tired casks are responsible?). Despite this, I enjoyed it and consider it a good dram. However, I still favor the 10 or Ugi, which are also considerably less expensive.