Ardbeg Day

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Ardbeg Dark Cove Committee Release Single Malt. ABV: 55%. Islay, Scotland. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, free sample from a friend.

It was Ardbeg Day over the weekend, so it was only fitting to reach back to the dark depths of the whisky cabinet to pull out this beauty…the official release from Ardbeg Day 2016 – the Ardbeg Dark Cove Committee Release.

Colour: Bright brassy rose gold.

Nose: Kippers and soft smoke; not a campfire smoke, but more like the embers of a fire the next morning after you’ve cooked a feast. Hot smoked salmon on the campfire is too wanky and overly specific, but something like that. It’s moreish enough to make you want to take another sniff.

Palate: Smoked trout and creme fraiche. Liquorice sticks. And oily mouthfeel with an incredibly gentle warmth but not an ounce of searing heat.

Finish: Tins of smoked salmon in brine. Salty, like you’ve liked your lips after a swim in the surf.

Comments: Released for Ardbeg Day in 2016, the Ardbeg Dark Cove was matured in ex-bourbon and what the official bottling notes referred to as “dark Sherry casks”. It’s all creamy smoked fish goodness, where the flesh just melts in your mouth. Delicious.

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Ardbeg Perpetuum Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 47.40%. Tasted at home, $35 (100mL bottle split, courtesy of the International Beer Shop in Perth).

Happy Ardbeg Day everyone!! Thought it fitting that I dig up this little beauty which I’ve had kicking around in the collection for 12 months now. The Ardbeg Perpetuum was actually the distillery’s Ardbeg Day release from 2015, commemorating their 200th anniversary. I’ve yet to try their 2016 Ardbeg Day release, “Dark Cove” (Sam Dunn hurry up and send it!), looking forward to getting stuck into that too.

Colour: A very pale straw.

Nose: Delightfully contrasting and complex. There’s a hint of char grilled bacon (hmmm, bacon *drool*), interspersed with raspberry sherbet and lemon crumble. Some very faint smoked trout aromas, sawdust from a freshly lopped tree…honestly the more I nose it the more my mind races to some very un-whisky like descriptions. Impressive stuff.

Palate: A cool, crisp entry with a quick build in flavour and a satisfying warm tingle around the lips and entire front of the mouth (not just the palate). Dark honey combines with meaty and woody notes – like a honeyed lamb skewer that’s been flame grilled on the BBQ.

Finish: The renowned Ardbeg peatiness finally emerges, though it’s more organic flavours rather smokey. The salty tang lingers long, along with some straw and lemon tanginess too.

Comments: It’s more subtle than your typical Ardbeg, and that’s a good thing. I’m a big fan of Ardbeg, but in the past I’ve felt some of their expressions are a little too similar. The Ardbeg Perpetuum is refreshingly different, and it’s a cracking dram. With only 12,000 bottles produced, I wish I’d had the foresight to grab more than just a 100mL bottle split.