THE ARDBEG 8 YEARS OLD FOR DISCUSSION
Ardbeg prides itself on being The Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky. Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by connoisseurs around the world as one of the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts, along with Bruichladdich. Despite its smokiness, Ardbeg is renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as ‘the peaty paradox’. During the 1980s and 1990s, Ardbeg suffered from an uncertain future and it was not until the brand was purchased by The Glenmorangie Company in 1997 that the Distillery was saved from extinction. Since then, the Distillery has risen like a phoenix and today Ardbeg is well established as a niche, cult malt, with a passionate following.
Ardbeg Committee: The legacy of the whisky was safeguarded in 2000 by the formation of the Ardbeg Committee. The Committee is made up of thousands of Ardbeg followers worldwide who are keen to ensure that “the doors of Ardbeg never close again”. Today there are more than 100,000 members of the Ardbeg Committee in over 130 countries. Committee members are regularly consulted on new bottlings and expressions and are offered exclusive Committee bottlings. Members also receive invitations to special gatherings, tastings and events. The Committee, chaired by Mickey Heads, is free to join at ardbeg.com.
Awards: Ardbeg is the world’s most highly awarded smoky single malt whisky. Since 2008, Ardbeg has won more than 50 gold and double gold medals in key whisky competitions.
Ardbeg 8 Years Old for Discussion is the latest Committee-only bottling from the Scotch whisky brand, born out of an experiment by master distiller Dr Bill Lumsden. The eight-year-old is the answer to Lumsden’s question ‘what if, in an alternative universe, Ardbeg Ten Years Old was not the distillery’s “flagship” aged expression?’
Ardbeg 8 Years Old is a big, youthful, deliberately challenging whisky that smoke-loving, insanely committed Committee Members will go wild for. The unmistakeable smoky intensity, reeking of charcoal and creosote; curious hints of fennel and celery mixed with woodsmoke… Ardbeg 8 Years Old is guaranteed to provoke discussion.
Only available online, and only available to Committee Members, this bottling is pretty rare too.
OFFICIAL TASTING NOTES:
BASIC DETAILS: 50.8% ABV, un-chillfiltered.
COLOUR: Pale Straw, no added colouring.
NOSE: Intense with a burst of charcoal, creosote, tar and treacle toffee, with curious hints of something vegetal, like fennel, celery and green peppers. Once these subside, there are hints of milk chocolate, aniseed and woodsmoke. With a little drop of water, some more herbal notes appear, like fennel, coriander and lavender, along with some characteristic Ardbeg aromatic woodsmoke and a hint of fresh, salty sea spray.
PALATE: A distinctively peppery mouthfeel eases into a complex symphony of flavours; treacle toffee, aniseed, salted caramel chocolate, eucalyptus, menthol and briar wood, to name but a few. The ‘tingling’, peppery sensation on the palate continues, with the sweeter flavours giving way to more savoury notes like charcoal, smoked bacon, burnt toast and tar.
FINISH: The aftertaste is long and lingering, with a suggestion of peppermint and clove.
COST: Around €65 or equivalent locally, reflecting its Limited Edition, Committee-only nature.
In a change from the usual one-off Committee Releases, Ardbeg 8 Years Old will be around for a while – not forever, but long enough to give you more than one chance to get hold of a bottle…An aged ex-Sherry whisky is new territory for Ardbeg, so naturally, they want some opinions, which the Committee’s experienced palates will provide to help them find that smoky sweet spot.
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