My name is Andrew, but I post on this blog as "Maltmannie". This blog is dedicated to whisky, which I love! Please note my love is for whisky, not whiskEy. Whisky (without an 'e') is Scotch Whisky, no offence to WhiskEy lovers but Whisky is superior ;)
Ardbeg Whisky
An Islay malt, Ardbeg whisky is famous (according to its own website) as arguably the most peaty of all the Islay whiskies. The others are Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Bowmore, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Bunnahabain and Bruichladdich.
Ardbeg Whisky’s Nose and Flavour
Ardbeg whisky has a strong nose composed of iodine, seaweed and sawdust. Its flavour is smoky and salty. Despite all of this, the experts recommend Ardbeg whisky as a bedtime drink – presumably any bed partners would also have to be sharing your Ardbeg whisky or the aroma would keep them awake. The taste is smooth and warm, so maybe it pays to not judge on first impressions.
What Makes Ardbeg Whisky Special?
Ardbeg whisky is often bottled at above the 40 per cent vol that malt whiskies must meet. It is one of the fastest growing Islay single malts and has been being made since at least 1815. Well travelled, Ardbeg whisky won an award in Australia this year (2008) as Australia’s best commercially available whisky.
Another example of how popular Ardbeg whisky is could be its many expressions, including Lord of the Isles (a smooth-bodied twenty-five year old), the Committee Reserve (a 55.3 per cent vol ‘tour de force’) and Ardbeg whisky 1976, developed especially for the Japanese market.