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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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September 23, 2022 |
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Little duos, today Ardbeg OB vs IB
(vs Côte-Rôtie)
You cannot deny that Ardbeg and Macallan have shaped the malt whisky scene, in the late 1990s – early 2000s. Things have changed rather a lot since back then, but both Distilleries (ach, brands) will always remain in the hearts of every 'older' malt enthusiasts, together with a few other names. Good, I'm afraid I'll make a brick cry if I go on… Better try two newer 'begs!
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Guigal's famous La-la-La ->
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Ardbeg 2011/2020 (57.6%, OB, for Germany, 1st fill 'Cote Rotie', cask #2303, 302 bottles) 
WAIT. First, it's Côte-Rôtie, not Cote Rotie. I know it's tricky to handle foreign letterings on a 1995 Macintosh, but come on. And second, Côte-Rôtie is one of the most distinctive and aromatic red wines, while red wine and peat, well that's like that famous Hawaiian pizza we keep mentioning. Or there, bananas al chorizo. But I am joking, you never know, and after all, some traditional Côte-Rôtie do harbour a few percent white wine. So like 95% syrah, 5% viognier. Let us proceed (with caution)… Colour: full gold. Nose: what is this? Rye, cedarwood, rose petals and hibiscus, ginger, pomegranates, peonies, blackcurrant buds (big time), tomato leaves, litchee syrup, mustard, rosewater, Lebanese bread… What's sure is that we're extremely far from the south shore of Islay, but there is some kind of fun to this, they should just find another name for this kind of winesky. With water: smoked ham and pineapple. There, Hawaiian pizza. Mouth (neat): so bizarre! You would believe it was made by a start-up distillery, somewhere in the Rhône Valley or there, in Schwarzwald. Sour, dissonant, sweet and spicy, with the smoke generating notes of plastic or, well, burnt pomegranates, burnt juniper wood… Phew! With water: it's better, but it is not Ardbeg. At least water brought a little coherence; oh and black olives. Finish: long, not obligatorily a good thing. Comments: too much own product, probably. No indie bottlers would have dared making, let alone bottling this very bizarre mixture. Almost impossible to score, but since we've come this far…
SGP:755 - 70 points. |
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Ardbeg 20 yo 2001/2022 (44.5%, The First Editions, for HNWS Taiwan, refill barrel, cask #HL18657, 146 bottles) 
Always an utter joy to read 'refill barrel' on a label, especially after 'Cote Rotie' (smirk). Thank you, Hunter Laing and HNWS. Colour: white wine. Nose: we're back in the late 1990s and we're having some of those official 10 yo twist cap in our glass. Coltrane on the stereo, and from the glass, these pure, amazingly tarry, sooty and coastal notes that were nowhere else to be experienced. Well, all that is back in this one, with a stunning simplicity and purity, and this very peculiar feeling of oneness. Not many malts are 'one' (especially not when finished or aged in Côte-Rôtie, he he). Ardbeg, what a spirit! Mouth: Ardbeg. A.r.d.b.e.g. ARDBEG. A-r-d-b-e-g (that'll do, S.) Tar, soot, seawater, lime juice and a drop of camphor oil. And basta. Finish: long, still pure, with an ashy signature. Drop of riesling and ideas of bandages and tincture of iodine. Comments: Ardbeg, together with only a handful of other names and provided no silly wood and/or wine's been in use, is a malt that often imposes silence on the drinker. Shh…
SGP:456 - 93 points. |
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