Ardbeg Smoketrails Manzanilla Edition

Another season, and it’s time for Ardbeg to release something no one asked for, and have it priced absurdly high. Likely released with all the might of marketing fanfare, enough to make royalty envious of such pageantry, only for it to turn out that all that hype amounts to a disappointing, subpar Ardbeg, leaving you to wonder “I can’t believe I paid all that for this! Should’ve stuck with Corry, 10, or Uigeadail.” That, in a nutshell, is usually Ardbeg. Until this one. Thanks to a friend, I got to try this. We had our quarterly online tasting with some friends, and this was one of the pours generously shared by that friend. I generally don’t like Manzanilla. I find it too dry. And I don’t think I’ve ever liked any whiskey finished in Manzanilla. But, this was different. Yes, you get the classic Ardbeg smoke on the nose, but the palate is where it shines. Oily, ashy, like Riesling wine. It’s a complex pour…salinity, brine, like seaweed salad, with a dose of olives and lemons. Finally! An Ardbeg release without excessive fanfare, and actually really well made! Unfortunately, this is travel retail only. So, to buy this, you have to be at an international airport. But if you’re there, pick it up. I paid £70 for this on a recent trip to London. You can’t beat that value for a good Ardbeg. Thanks again to the friend for the pour!

Visual: Honey-gold color; quick, thin, evenly-spaced legs. Nosing: Sea brine and seaweed hit the nose immediately. Damp, musty smoke follows, like a beach bonfire. Definitely harsh on the nose. After a good swirl, fruitiness and flame-grilled white fish emerge. Tasting: Heavy peat hits right away. Definitely a young whisky; hot. A bit salty with umami flavors; very subtle Kombu. A long finish. Burnt fish skin on the back end. Nosing After Dilution: Upon adding water, the smoke dissipates somewhat. The harsh alcohol scent also lessens. Much more fruitiness comes through: charred apple and pear. Tasting After Dilution: Adding water makes the dram incredibly smooth. Still salty, but sweetness comes first. Smoked walnut hits the back end. Honestly, a pretty complex dram for one so young; however, and unfortunately, water is definitely a must to make this dram much more enjoyable.

The nose is peaty yet sweet with creamy oak. Hints of leather, smoke, and brine follow. It's quite typical Ardbeg, but with more subtlety and smoothness. The palate is light, starting with a burst of pepper that gives way to the mouth being filled with peat, smoke, leather, and creamy oak. It is fairly simple and straightforward, and exceptionally easy to sip. The finish is medium long and peppery with a lingering creamy oak. The barrel finishing doesn't add much sweetness, but rather smoothness. It could perhaps be a bit more pronounced, however that doesn't detract from how simply tasty this is.

Nose Deliciously fruity and sweet, with lemon, the needed sweetness, ashy smoke, creamy, sugared and dried light fruit, vanilla, also a hint of coffee, briefly banana, light spice joining the smoke, white gummy bears, and a brief hint of chocolate. Taste Smooth and sweet as Ardbeg should be, with delicious smoke, burnt waffle, sweet fruit, burnt cake batter, vanilla, gummy bears again with jelly filling, pineapple, and peach. I'm a big Ardbeg fan, so I think it's amazing for its price. Finish Ash, mint, fresh, sweet with a light tingling sensation at the end, pleasant, fills the entire mouth; the pineapple in the finish is a nice surprise.

This is the finest Ardbeg I have ever sampled, and I have tried six others. This special release is exclusively available in travel retail locations. The peat and smoke typical of Ardbeg are more harmonized with sweetness on the finish. A must-purchase, in my view.

Nose - salty, savory, chemical, dense and evocative of a typical Islay malt. Palate - sweet and savory, a surprising burst of smoke with a lingering smoky finish. It lives up to its name. The finish is brief, however. A truly distinct experience.