Ardbeg Supernova 2015

Recall that review when I mentioned Ardbeg Galileo was supposedly in space but wasn't? Well... THIS ONE HAS BEEN TO SPACE. At least a tiny bit. Prepare yourselves, this will be a lengthy yet wonderful (for me) assessment. Ardbeg Supernova has had four iterations so far (a new one with a cool UFO design was announced for 2019), this write-up is for the 2015 Committee release, THE SPACE EXPERIMENT ONE. Space experiment, you ask? Yes. This spirit was part of a 2011 experiment where Ardbeg sent small amounts of Ardbeg-Crafted-Molecules to the International Space Station, orbiting the Earth for 3 years. It returned on September 12, 2014, landing in Kazakhstan. But... are these particles in the whisky? No. They are not. The molecules that were Ardbeg's new make spirit with tiny oak staves returned in a state called "Micro-Gravity." They compared these micro-gravity Ardbeg vials with regular Ardbeg... and the results were different. Certain particles of phenols and high alcohol had altered values, so you could say the experiment succeeded. I don't know if anyone has sampled them, but that Ardbeg from Space is a distinct dram. But don't just take my word for it. All the details about the experiment are in this.PDF: https://www.ardbeg.com/sites/ardbeg.com/files/2017-10/ARD9109SupernovaWhitePaperA4.pdf So.... what is Ardbeg Supernova? It's a tribute to that experiment. Its unique feature is that this Ardbeg has 100ppm peat, while the standard expressions have only 55ppm. The label is fantastic, the name is incredible.... LET'S DISCUSS THE WHISKY! Bottled at 54.3% ABV (similar to the Uigeadail). Sublime on the nose: Citrus notes; the peat here is wonderful, not at all overpowering; Grapefruit. I detected TEA. Herbal Tea notes. Vanilla appears after the first taste. Cigarette aroma. On the palate, it's a very pleasing spirit. Caramel, Lime, Peat. A beautifully salty dram. Caramel chocolate. The finish is where the sun sets to unleash the explosion known as Supernova. Wasabi - Pepper - Sugar - Heather and Peat. Overall, this seems like a sweeter variation of Ardbeg's Uigeadail. A superb dram, with a great narrative and an attractive bottle. A score of 96 out of 100, earning its 5 stars.... in space.

The aroma lacks the intense blast of smoke and peat found in the 2019 Supernova. It resembles watered-down malt whiskey – not exciting at all. There is more fruit in the aroma than anticipated from Ardbeg, though not abundant. Peat and smoke are present in the aroma here, but nowhere near the level of the 2019 Supernova. The palate is similarly much lighter with significant sweetness that feels out of place – akin to Oban 14. It also has a strong bread-like quality. Fruit notes emerge with prominent vanilla and floral characteristics. There's a fair amount of harshness – more than the 2019 (which was quite smooth), but less than many spirits. In reality, it's reasonably smooth. Ultimately, the peat contributes a lot of iodine, which can be somewhat overpowering. It's good, but has imperfections. It's clear that the 2019 supernova is superior. While this possesses a sweet layer, the sweet flavors meld together before being overwhelmed by peat, smoke, and licorice. The abundance of peat is unfortunately excessive. I typically enjoy sweetness, but this sweetness lacks distinctiveness. The combination of peat and sweetness is regrettably bland and unbalanced. There's a touch of meatiness, but it primarily tastes of peat and char. So much iodine. And sweetness too. It's certainly drinkable, but I would choose something else, particularly given the price. Upon deeper inspection, there is some complexity, but overall it lacks balance, which is a significant issue. I don't understand its popularity. With a bit of water, everything softens slightly, and the sharp spice becomes more intriguing than harsh. Nevertheless, the flavor has problems. There isn't even a standout delightful flavor. Adding water muddies the profile, resulting in a mediocre spirit. I'd opt for something else, especially at this price point. Digging deeper reveals some complexity, but overall it's not balanced, and that's a major drawback. I can't fathom its widespread appeal. Adding a little water softens everything, and the prickly spice becomes more interesting than harsh. Still, the flavor profile has issues. There isn't even a single awesome, delightful flavor that stands out. The water muddies the profile, and the outcome isn't a great whiskey.

From Scotland, an Ardbeg Supernova, the first of its kind from this distillery, and their initial attempt at creating a heavily peated whisky! This was specifically made for the Ardbeg Committee. It begins with peat and spice, pungent with tar, pipe tobacco, smoked paprika, undertones of Parma ham, chili, burning turmeric, sweetness like toffee apple, citrus, and malt; while a powerful maturity introduces intense fiery peat, chipotle chili, fruity sweetness, with hints of premium coal tar, citrus, salty butter, sticking plasters, cocoa, and significant warming peat. August 2017 / April 2018 / August 2022

I would never have guessed it was 54% ABV!! It's very enjoyable to drink, with flavors that change from green bean to cold cooked steak!! Ample peat that dries the mouth, with smoke that lingers in the glass for a very long time! A truly impressive whisky!

one of my favorite expressions. a powerful meaty peat blast, followed by a subtle note of sweet fruit and salted cashews. a hint of dark cocoa then more smoke. so intense. to truly bring out the sweet notes, adding water is essential.

A pleasant full mouthfeel, as expected from a whisky not chill filtered. A strong peat impact gives way to sweet and creamy notes, concluding with hints of crème brûlée, licorice, and more peat.