
March 24, 2016

Ardbeg Dark cove and worthy opponents

Well friends, it is this time of the year again. Days get longer, swallows are back, forsythias are in bloom, we are seeing the first white asparagus from Provence, people are laughing at the bistrots’ terraces, honeybees are flying around gathering pollens and nectars, and there’s the new Ardbeg. I know, that was brutal, so as a sort of apology, let’s taste it (plus other new ones, to remain fair)…

Ardbeg ‘Dark cove’ (55%, OB, Committee release, 2016)

The label tells us that ‘its heart has been matured in dark sherry casks’. Which doesn’t mean much, really, or only that a part of it was matured (proportions? for how long?) in sherry that probably wasn’t fino or manzanilla. It’s also said, on the label, that it’s the darkest Ardbeg ever. Highly unlikely if you ask me, given the various fantastic dark-oloroso-ed Ardbegs the owners have had in the past. So, the label being partly wrong, doesn’t that make this wee bottle kind of collectable? Despite the fact that it’s yet another NAS? Ach… Colour: gold. Nothing dark, really, we’ve known hundreds of Ardbegs that were darker, both officials and indies.

Nose: hold on, cancel any derision or affectionate mockeries, there’s something clearly ‘old Ardbeg’ to this. Really. This very particular creosote-y thing, these soy-saucy touches, this fattish, tar-like medicinal side that’s so different from Laphroaig’s, this natural rubber diluted in brine, the turpentine, the walnuts (the sherry)… Plus, above all, very little of the dullish new-oakiness that’s polluting so many modern malts. Perhaps a little caraway, ginger, and juniper, but that’s all. So far, so perfect. With water: some kind of salted lapsang souchong into which you would have thrown cloves. Mouth (neat): phew, there was a little ‘obvious’ oak in the beginning of the arrival (varnish plus ginger and caraway), and I may like the nose better, but this is frankly very fine, appropriately thickish, cough-syrupy (oh my), with some acidic lemon as well, some smoked ham, perhaps a wee bit of bresaola to please our Italian friends, some salt, and some bitter oranges. Salty soy sauce with some tar liqueur. With water: it takes water well, becoming even peatier, even if more oils from the wood tend to come out as well. A tannicity. Finish: extremely long, and spicier. More cloves, ginger, cumin… Comments: it’s maybe more the oak than the wine that’s been playing the largest part here. I find this Dark cove more to my liking than last year’s… ach, what was the name again? - but I do prefer Uigeadail in this ‘direction’. But it’s excellent indeed. SGP:468 - 88 points.

Cadenhead

Ardbeg 22 yo 1993/2016 (55.3%, Cadenhead, Single Cask)

Out in early April but probably sold out even before it was distilled. Sorry, no picture of the bottle yet. I've put a painting by William Cadenhead (1934-2005) instead, who, as I just found out, was a talented, albeit somewhat academic Scottish painter. No, I doubt there are any relations. Colour: dark gold. A shade darker than the Dark cove. Nose: ho-ho-ho, this is gonna be interesting. There are many similarities, and there are differences. Similarities, the very Ardbeggian profile, wit this creosote, mercurochrome, and turpentine. Differences, this is more complex, without any straight oaky tones (you can’t beat age, really, you can’t), and with more citrus and eucalyptus. See, we managed to keep this short. So far. With water: hello wet dogs and cows under the rain! And horse saddles, hay, dried kelp, barley, mushrooms, saltpetre, soot, grass smoke (I mean, real grass)…

Mouth (neat): once again, similarities and differences. The main difference being that, once again, this has more ‘time’ and less ‘oak’ – but there is some oak (tea tannins). Bergamots abound, and so do the Dutch’s preferred fruit, kumquats. Other than that, there’s some smoked vanilla cake (hey?), some liquorice, some cough medicine, some tar drops, some lemon juice, and just this feeling of ‘the distillery’. Always great as long as it’s not Dumbarton Distillery. With water: absolutely perfect. There’s something that reminds me of the 1990 'Airigh Nam Beist', I don’t quite know what that is. Finish: long, with this wonderful freshness that wasn’t quite to be found in the new Dark cove. A clear plus in my book. Only the aftertaste is a wee tad bitterish and tannic, perhaps. Perhaps. Bitter almonds. Comments: very high standards. SGP:558 - 91 points.

PS: that will make up for a certain newish Cradle Mountain by Cadenhead’s that’s been, well… You’ll see when I publish my notes (I’m still trying to recover)… But meanwhile, let’s have a last newish Ardbeg…

Ardbeg 1998/2015 (58.4%, Malts of Scotland, for Whisky & Co and Whisky Antique, cask #MoS 15009, 185 bottles)

The label wouldn’t tell, but it could be one of those sherry hogsheads, let’s see… Colour: gold. Nose: if it’s sherry it’s refill. First time I’m trying an Ardbeg that starts like an Auchentoshan, with this very specific combination of wood varnish and bubblegum. Really. And you’ll even find marshmallows and various ‘things’ by our friends at Haribo’s, while we’re probably admiring the slowest peat in the West. A very discreet one for sure. Was it a Kildalton sequel or something? Or did ‘that guy’ mistakenly push the Glen Moray button again? Now it’s very nice, very clean and fresh, it’s just, well, let’s call it Lowlandy. Yeah, St. Magdalene was a Lowlander too.

With water: one of the most delicate middle-aged recent Ardbegs I’ve nosed. Amaretti, marzipan, white chocolate, earl grey, a touch of hay, and only the smoke from one menthol cigarette. Mouth (neat): it’s wonderful, but once again, it starts almost unpeated, and no, there isn’t any ‘sudden peat blast’ occurring. It’s just a gentle progression, from sweet marzipan, pineapples, and peaches to acrid grass smoke and seawater. Shall we call it ‘a chromatic Ardbeg’? With water: same feelings. It’s even kind of light, but it’s also very elegant. More sea thing. Iodine. Finish: medium, with rather more citrus. Bitterer and grassier aftertaste… and there, a peat blast! The slowest peat in the West indeed. Also apple peelings, plus a limy side. Comments: careful with water, do not add more than a few drops. But anyway, I found it excellent, albeit quite intriguing. Not that easy to handle and tame. SGP:556 - 88 points.

(with thanks to Fab Fabien)

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