Time to journey back to the Isaly region of Scotland, this time to a distillery situated near the distilleries that produce the previously reviewed Lagavulin and Laphraoig - Arbeg. Ardbeg distillery, currently owned and operated by Glenmorangie, who is owned by even another company, LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, names you may be familiar with. I sure would love to go to that Christmas party).
Arbeg has an interesting history, distilling since 1798 - legally since 1815. Smugglers and the like found its location (a small, remote cove) ideal for the production of whisky without having to involve the excise men. In 1815, John McDougall founded Arbeg which, aside from a few hiccups (1981-1989, 1996-1997), has been operating since then. As I mentioned, Arbeg is an Islay whisky which means that the aroma is incredibly smoky and peaty, as I like to say, it's a "campfire in a glass". The whisky is very light in color, which seems to be to be common in whisky from this region; this whisky was almost clear. The legs were a bit thicker than I had anticipated, always a nice surprise (I really love whisky legs for some reason). The nose of this whisky was fantastic, salty sea air and smoke. I suppose if you bottled the air surrounding a burning galleon that it might come close to a match.
The mouth feel of this whisky is very light, lighter than the legs had suggested, but consistent with my experience with Islay whisky. This whisky really opens up on the tongue, the taste buds react exuberantly to the strong peaty taste. This Islay had more peat to the taste than others I have enjoyed, but that was OK with me. The taste was pretty straight-forward, not very complex. That same peaty taste lingers for some time after tasting; leaving you with a good, warm feeling.
Rating: 4.5 out of a possible 5 Casks
Reason: A fantastic, peaty aroma that commands your attention, a taste that matches the level of the aroma, a long aftertaste and a nice, warming effect on the body. I personally really enjoy Islay whisky and the smell of sea air so I was a fan of the Ardbeg from the moment my glass was set before me. The cost is manageable, around $50-$60 per bottle and $6-$9 a glass. In my opinion a bottle of Islay whisky will go further than any other for two main reasons. First, the taste and aroma are so potent that you will likely sip slower and consume a bit less in a sitting. Second, many people fear that same aroma, so you're less likely to have 'moochers'.
Cheers,
Charles
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