Ardbeg Renaissance

Nose: The first sniff offered gentle, sweet smoky peat along with a spectrum of fruity esters (apple, pear, lemon, orange). As it sits, notes of grappa and a whisper of plum brandy appear, then grassy hay and a hint of burnt match. Adding water enhances the floral scents, with violet and honeysuckle noticeable, plus a sharp yet potent aroma of gentian and chamomile tea. Palate: Sweet and spicy hot upon entry. The initial warmth intensifies, bringing forth hot cinnamon, white pepper, ginger, and zesty herbs. The heat spreads and fills the mouth, developing into sour lemon, tart pineapple, and ginger syrup before receding as sweetness returns. Ashy peat smoke builds towards the finish alongside succulent fruit notes. The texture is smooth and substantial, yet very clean. Water reduces the heat to a pleasant, lingering warmth without harming the texture. It also seems to deepen and enrich the smoke, and the consistent sweetness becomes honey-like but not overly so. Finish: Moderate to long. The initial warmth eventually fades, leaving behind smoky lemon, herbaceous, and vegetal notes (even a touch of mezcal). The lingering taste has faint coffee bean and chocolate hints. Water introduces a subtle weak-tea tannin and a slightly saline edge. The aroma is more intricate than it first seems. It's light, clean, and fresh but also densely packed and well-integrated. Its full character emerges over time, but it lacks the bold tar and seaside assertiveness found in some other Ardbeg expressions. This one is more subdued, fragrant, and delicate, possessing an underlying sweetness and elegance that gains richness as it develops. The palate doesn't transform as much over time. The nearly explosive initial heat remains with each sip, likely due to the substantial alcohol content. Dilution significantly tempers the arrival, supporting this observation, and generally rounds out and expands the palate. I suggest trying it neat first, but don't hesitate to add a good splash of water – it works very well and doesn't create unpleasant plastic-like smoky peat flavors. A captivating and ever-changing nose, but I felt the palate and finish, while very good, weren't quite on the same level (though it's only a small difference from 5 to 4 stars for the palate). It's a truly excellent whisky, but just shy of outstanding. Tasted from a 30ml sample. (The seller still has bottles, but at the price, I don't think I'll be purchasing one). "Very Good": 87/100 (4.25 stars)

This marks my 1001st whisky review, signifying a fresh start. During a visit to Ardbeg, I persuaded an employee to let me sample one of their older, special releases, and I was fortunate to try the renowned Ardbeg Renaissance. This single malt was part of a collection celebrating Ardbeg's 1997 reopening, with four whiskies released: "very young," "still young," "almost There," and this one, "Renaissance." As the name implies, this whisky honors Ardbeg's rebirth under Glenmorangie Distillers, later acquired by LVMH. It's bottled at 55.9% ABV and has a unique characteristic: it was made from the first new make spirit produced in 1998, bottled in 2008 upon reaching 10 years old. This is the inaugural Ardbeg expression. The aroma is exceptionally sweet, featuring red fruits, vanilla cake, and almonds. It has deep nutty cake, pine, and grassy notes. It's very herbal, with coffee and black pepper, describable as herbal peatiness. The palate is decent, with vanilla cream, chocolate cream, and saltiness. There's sulfur and a metallic quality, quite salty and maritime, even "swampy." I preferred the aftertaste to the palate, noting smoked metals, copper, black pepper, meatballs, and maritime salty water. In summary, while not the pinnacle of Ardbeg releases, it's certainly not bad. It's quite enjoyable but could benefit from more complexity and maturation, feeling somewhat young. Nevertheless, it's undeniably a piece of history. I award it a well-earned 88 out of 100.

I'm baffled by the low rating for this. It was excellent straight from the bottle, even without water. Sweet, smoky vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Towards the end, hints of lemony smoke emerged, which isn't my preference, but it was still an impressive dram. Any fan of Ardbeg should try this.

I didn't care for the peat; it's certainly an acquired taste. I won't be trying it again.

The smoky character is fantastic