Tag: Ardbeg

Ardbeg 8yo – For Discussion

If there’s one distillery on Islay that is guaranteed to invoke discussion, it’s Ardbeg.  From its unfortunate history in the 1980’s and ‘90’s; to the brand’s vibrant, fun and cheeky personality of today; to the Ardbeg Committee and the special members-only Committee Releases, Ardbeg is a whisky that every drinker has something to say about.  The new Ardbeg 8yo For Discussion, which is available via https://ardbegcommittee.com.au, has been released to trigger discussion amongst Ardbeg Committee members, and it’s a discussion worth having.  So what is it that we’re talking about?

The Ardbeg 8yo For Discussion is a new members-only Committee Release, and it remains to be seen if it will join the core-range in Ardbeg’s gradually expanding portfolio.   So, apart from the age statement of 8 years old, what is it that’s up for discussion?  The answer is pretty interesting and prompts some exploration into Ardbeg’s flavour spectrum….

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Matching a whisky to every James Bond film

James Bond and whisky? Whisky has been paired with food for decades, although in more recent years we’ve seen whiskies paired and matched to cigars, watches, music, and even movies!   If you’re going to sit down in your comfy sofa and pass away a few hours being entertained by 007, then having a good dram in your hand goes a long way to enhancing the James Bond experience.

Of course, Bond’s drink of choice may be a vodka martini, but we can shake and stir things up for the whisky drinkers out there who are James Bond fans: Here is our effort to pair and match the perfect whisky to every (official) James Bond film.

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The complete guide to peat and peated whisky

Are you wanting to know more about peat and smoky whiskies?  Want to know what makes a whisky smoky in the first place?  Peat is one of the least understood aspects of the whisky industry, but fear not:  Our complete guide to peat will make you an instant expert on the topic.

Most whisky drinkers will remember and can pinpoint the first time they tasted a heavily peated whisky.  Like a fork in the road, it was probably a “love it or hate it” moment….there is rarely middle ground or ambivalence when your tastebuds first encounter a truly peaty, medicinal, smoky whisky.  But things change…

Would it be crude to suggest that Scotch whisky drinkers thus fall into three camps?  There are those that hate peated whisky; those that love peated whisky; and those that are actively and earnestly transitioning at some point between those two extremes.  No matter where you sit on that three-pointed scale, this guide will assist you in understanding all the ins and outs of peat and the role it plays in Scotch whisky.  (And we’ll touch on Irish whiskey, too).  So settle in with a dram of your favourite malt and let’s cover some facts and dispel a few myths….     Continue reading “The complete guide to peat and peated whisky”

Six historical whiskies you MUST try

You’ve probably been at a whisky event amongst a bunch of people and you were tasting a whisky from a particular distillery when someone near you remarked, “Ah, it’s not as good as it used to be…their whisky was so much better 20 years ago!”   Or words to that effect.   It’s a sentiment I’ve heard a lot lately.  Mostly because I’m the old fart repeatedly saying it.  We all look back on the rare and special whiskies we’ve tried in the past, and it’s hard not to wish that current incarnations were the same.

But I know I’m not alone – it’s an observation shared by many, and particularly amongst some of the pals I’ve been dramming with for 15-20 years.   We’re often accused of wearing rose-coloured glasses or getting caught up in sepia-toned memories.   That being said, we can be objective about this, and you should perhaps read our feature article, Is whisky better or worse today than it was 20 years ago?

To be clear, I’m not referring to all whisky per se … it would be folly and a blatant mistruth to suggest all whisky was generally better in the past.  However, there are some distilleries that, on the whole, are releasing whiskies today that are a far cry from the bottlings they released in years gone by.  I hesitate to suggest that their quality has gone downhill, since quality or flavour preference can be a subjective thing.

But, having said that, if you’ve been enjoying single malt whisky for over 20 years, there are a few benchmark drams that some of us hang our hats on.  You may have heard of these drams in the past and wondered what all the fuss is about?  Why are they so revered?

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Ardbeg Twenty Something – 22 Years Old

The Ardbeg Twenty Something range has a new addition to the stable with the release of the Ardbeg 22yo – styled on the label as “Guaranteed 22 Years Old”.  Distilled in the Spring of 1996 (that’s March through May for us southern-hemisphere folk!) and bottled on the 18th July in 2018 at a strength of 46.4%, the whisky is a vatting of ex-bourbon casks.

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Ardbeg Grooves

Groovy is a term that disappeared from common vernacular. In fact, were it not for Mike Myers and the Austin Powers films, there would be several generations now that would be completely unaware of its application. Groovy became cool; cool became hot; and hot became cool again. Meanwhile, some distilleries got on with churning out delicious whisky.

“Grooves” is the name of this year’s annual Ardbeg Day release, and the marketing and imagery that accompanies it is the 1960’s hippy era of peace and love. “Peat and love” is thus the key phrase here and Ardbeg Day celebrations around the world will be based on this very theme.

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10 things every whisky lover should know before visiting Scotland

[Updated April, 2024]  Visiting Scotland soon? Are you planning a trip to Scotland to visit your favourite whisky distilleries?  Yes, for every whisky lover, it’s the ultimate pilgrimage:  After listening jealously to other people’s travels and dreaming of making it to the promised land, you’ve FINALLY saved up for and planned your first whisky trip to Scotland.  Exciting times!

Of course, every first-timer always asks the same questions in the early stages of planning:  Where’s the best place to stay?  Which distilleries should I visit?  Should I hire a car?  Do I have time to get to Islay?  How many days should I spend in Speyside?  Is the trip up to Orkney worth it? 

Naturally, the answers to these are highly subjective and individual.  They’ll depend on your budget, the amount of time you can spare, which distilleries are your favourites, and what transport options are at your disposal.  But there are a few things to appreciate about visiting distilleries that you won’t read in the guide books or find online.  Here are ten things you ought to know before heading off to Scotland…

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Ardbeg An Oa

With so many different special releases of Ardbeg that catch everyone’s attention each year (i.e. the annual Ardbeg Day releases such as Kelpie, Dark Cove, Perpetuum, Auriverdes, etc, or the limited release of the 21yo), it’s easily to forget that Ardbeg’s actual core range consists of just three bottlings:  Uigeadail, Corryvreckan, and the 10yo.  Ardbeg’s An Oa now changes that…

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Ardbeg Kelpie – The 46% Retail Release

With Ardbeg Day now an entrenched part of the whisky calendar, it seems unnecessary to go into great detail about the day itself and what it entails.  Of course, whilst the day itself is a great hive of fun and activity, most people’s  focus and attention is on the special release bottling.  This year’s release, Ardbeg Kelpie, is a belter, and an Ardbeg to make the purists happy.

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Ardbeg Kelpie Committee Release & Ardbeg Untamed

For the review and tasting notes of the Ardbeg Kelpie Committee Edition, scroll further down.

With multi-tasking all the rage these days, this piece combines two distinct happenings involving Ardbeg.  The second of these relates to Kelpie, this year’s new release to coincide with Ardbeg Day.  But before we try and conquer that wee beastie, have you heard of Ardbeg Untamed?

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