June 2, 2015

Ardbeg Perpetuum and others

So there is this new Perpetuum that just everyone has bought - and, as far as I can see, that many will not open. Something will happen one day with these kinds of private buffer stocks that have been built through the years, as if there were tens of thousands of mini whisky lochs all over the world. Yes I'm talking about your cupboard or cellar ;-). Anyway, I wanted to find a proper sparring partner, so obviously a young one and one that was bottled at a similar strength (cask strength look-alike, if you see what I mean). And I found this:

Angelshare

Ardbeg 12 yo (46.6%, Angelshare, Switzerland, +/-2007)

This is early to mid 1990s distillate, so Ardbeg made by the Laphroaig crew when they used to intermittently reactivate the closed distillery every once in a while to keep the equipment (and the purifier ;-)) kind of fit. And to make whisky, of course. Colour: white wine. Nose: very briny, very smoky, pretty austere. A lot of old hessian, crumbled coal, old tools (those in the old toolbox), then rather chalk and plaster as well as perhaps a touch of plastic. After ten minutes, we find more and more pine needles, and even washing powder, which makes it a little acrid. Also a little white high-ester rum, Jamaican-style. Which we enjoy, no need to say. Mouth: massive salt and brine, a pungent smoke, plenty of green grapefruits and a feeling of 'eating clay'. There's a wee sweetness (pear juice) but it's minimal, it remains a dry Ardbeg. Finish: long, smoky, still a bit pungent even at 46% vol., with some tar/liquorice in the aftertaste that makes it clearly Ardbeggian. Comments: a good one. It hasn't got the complexity of the older vintages, but it's clearly, well, good Ardbeg. SGP:458 - 86 points.

Ardbeg ‘Perpetuum’ (47.4%, OB, Ardbeg Day version, 2015)

This is the new 'Ardbeg Day' version of the NAS Perpetuum. I find it funny to use a name that implies a notion of eternity, or at least of old age, while doing an 'unaged' (I know) version. Or maybe is that extremely smart. Colour: white wine. Nose: simpler and narrower than the Angelshare, with less depth, and probably a little less flaws (no pine-y notes, no washing powder). It's relatively light, but there's good peat smoke, coated with a little vanilla. A very light medicinal touch (eucalyptus). I find it nice, simple, and rather gentle for Ardbeg, despite the high smoke. Mouth: full, immediate, ashy and smoky, with sweeter fruits and vanilla in the back. I seem to feel a rather young spirit (the white fruits) and some slightly prominent oak (tea tannins, vanilla, white pepper). Other than that, it's lightly medicinal and briny, but less tarry/phenolic than older bottlings, while the Angelshare still had a bit of that. Anyway, I find it very good. Finish: rather long, and pretty saltier and brinier. Olive brine and white mezcal - which, again, is good in my book. Comments: that's the problem with NAS, you can't help trying to guess the ages of these babies. Bah, all we can be sure of with an NAS is that it’s 3 years old. As for scores, it's a tie. I think the Perpetuum is simpler but the 'easy straightforwardness' is pleasant, and the smoke is well Ardbeggian. I’m pleased. SGP: 557 - 86 points.

Yeah, while we're at it, we could as well add an old one...

Ardbeg 25 yo 1974/2001 (58%, Bloomsbury Spirit, Japan, sherry cask)

Ardbeg 25 yo 1975/2001 (58%, Bloomsbury Spirit, Japan, sherry cask)

Warning, I'm not trying to compare these babies. Well, maybe I am, but that wouldn't be fair. Indeed, this is one of the legendary vintages. Colour: full gold. Nose: bwah! Candied fruits (none in the young ones), waxes and oils (none in the young ones), the best tobaccos (same), old turpentine (ditto), long forgotten pots of paint, cough syrup, chartreuse and other herbal liqueurs, amaretti, Barbour grease, smoked oysters, some kind of mint-flavoured fudge, lit black cigars (these maduros, or rather the Italian ones, the toscanis)... The complexity is amazing, this one leaves you breathless. And we haven't even taken a drop. With water: it reminds me of some very - and I mean very - old Sauternes that are becoming mentholy and waxy. Old almond liqueur with drops of crème de menthe and cough syrup. Shall we call it Vicksy? Mouth: huge and elegant. That's the miracle with these whiskies, they are like elephants dancing a ballet... and dancing it right! Fabulous herbal, waxy, sappy, smoky style. Tar liqueur, smoky old chartreuse - no I don't think anyone ever tried to smoke chartreuse - some salt, a very spritzy lemon, oysters... All is superb. The mouth feel is incredible. Oops, forgot to mention marmalade that adds a rounded fruitiness. With water: same flavours, plus rather more salt, kippers, salty seaweed, more cough syrup... Finish: sadly. Let's not rub salt in the wound, but indeed, the saltiness is fab. Only flaw, I find some soap in the aftertaste, which will make it lose one or three points. Comments: I think we should start to retry the old ones that we've already tasted - just to make sure. Hey, good idea! Oh, or perhaps we’ll have the new Ardbeg 1815, we'll see... (although 1815 sounds a bit too ‘Waterloo’ to us Frenchmen ;-)) SGP: 577 - 91 points.

Check the index of all Ardbeg I've tasted so far