Ardbeg 17 makes a triumphant return to our consciences and tastebuds but – like so many things in Scotch whisky these days – its time appears limited. At least for now. The “new” Ardbeg 17yo is a special Committee Release and is also available at the distillery on Islay, and at selected Ardbeg Embassies and retailers around the globe. Whether or not the distillery elects to re-introduce the expression full-time to the brand’s core range remains to be seen but, for now, it is worth recapping on why this particular expression of Ardbeg has some of us excited and salivating…
It is difficult to write anything about Ardbeg without referencing the distillery’s turbulent history, and – in the case of the Ardbeg 17 – it’s impossible not to discuss history. Because it’s precisely the distillery’s history that led to the Ardbeg 17yo expression emerging in the first place.
In the interests of brevity and keeping our wordcount down, we’ll make the history lesson a brief one: Ardbeg fell on tough times in the early 1980’s (as did many other distilleries), and it was closed in 1981. It was silent for eight years, then had a short burst of activity in 1989…but again fell silent. From 1989 until 1996, there were minor, sporadic production runs undertaken for no other reason than to dust off the cobwebs and to try and keep the plant in an operational state, should it be brought out of mothballs. There’s the well-known story of the team from Laphroaig wandering down the road and firing up the stills for just a few short weeks every couple of years or so but, when all was said and done, Ardbeg lay dormant and unloved for a very long time. Destined to be bulldozed, it was put up for sale in 1996…to be rescued by the Glenmorangie company at the start of 1997.
(A slight difference between the distillery’s appearance when Glenmorangie acquired it in 1997, and how it looked in 2017!)
Glenmorangie set about the long and expensive task of bringing the distillery back to life but, in the meantime, their acquisition of the distillery included the inventory of maturing stock. In other words, they had aged whisky ready to sell! The problem was, with the distillery closed and silent for much of the preceding 16 years, there were large gaps in production and serious limitations on what “age statement” whiskies they could realistically release and market. The Ardbeg 10yo that was amongst the brand’s first expressions to be released under Glenmorangie’s ownership was one of the best-value whiskies going around…noting that most of the liquid in the bottle was significantly older than the 10 years stated on the label!
However, there was another issue to contend with: From 1979-1981, Ardbeg distilled significant quantities of both unpeated and lightly-peated malt in order to serve its owner’s blending requirements. Referred to as Kildalton spirit, the unpeated whisky had to find an outlet. Enter Ardbeg 17. The Ardbeg 17yo released by Glenmorangie in 1997 was a lighter style of Ardbeg, being a vatting (blend) of both unpeated spirit and normal/regular Ardbeg spirit. The expression was produced from 1997 until 2004.
My introduction to Ardbeg came back in 2000, and I actually remember there being mixed feelings about the Ardbeg 17yo at the time. Ardbeg was still considered a cult brand back then, and I recall many die-hard fans lamenting that the Ardbeg 17 lacked the “oomph” and peaty punch that they expected from the distillery. However, in contrast, the 17yo expression attracted new fans to the brand, precisely because the peat was dialed down, and you could get a better sense of the spirit’s sweetness and fruitiness. However, it was arguably a moot point…the expression disappeared from our shelves in 2004 and other expressions (e.g. Uigeadail, plus the Very Young, Still Young range) began to grab our attention.
And so, with all that as background, here we are: Ardbeg 17, 2024 release, back to tickle our tastebuds. But here’s where the story gets interesting. Rather than just simply insert a garden variety 17 year old expression into the portfolio, the team at Ardbeg actually set about trying to recreate the style of its 1997-2004 predecessor. And this – once more – meant using unpeated Ardbeg spirit. Of course, it should come as no surprise that Ardbeg have unpeated and lightly-peated spirit in the warehouse….previous official releases under the names of Kildalton and Blasda showcased these spirit runs. The new, limited-edition Ardbeg 17 goes further in reproducing the style of its predecessor by bottling it at the original 40% ABV and with the spirit chillfiltered. (Ardbeg has been very vocal about its whiskies being bottled at a minimum of 46% and being non-chillfiltered, however, such a policy had to be ignored in looking to recreate the original 1997 incarnation of the whisky.)
A good whisky review consists of two components: Firstly, the background story of the whisky and the facts and figures. (Check!) Secondly, an objective tasting and assessment. And we’ve now reached that point…so let’s crack open a bottle and put the whisky through its paces. Here’s Whisky & Wisdom’s thoughts on the whisky….
Ardbeg 17yo, 2024 Limited Edition, 40% ABV
Nose: The first thing that strikes me on the nose is how much it instantly transports you to the distillery. If you’ve been fortunate enough to wander around Ardbeg and to walk through the production areas and, particularly, the warehouses and the filling station by the bay, you’ll be familiar with the briny, peaty, slightly medicinal aroma that hangs in the air. The aromas wafting out of my Glencairn glass are precisely that smell! There’s a very mossy, maritime peatiness – perhaps more vegetal than earthy – and hints of licorice, malt, yeast, and engine oil. There’s no mistaking we’re on Islay here…
Palate: The lower ABV of 40%, combined with the chillfiltering, makes this soft and – frankly – dangerously quaffable. It’s all too easy to drink. Yes, it’s peaty, and there’s plenty of peaty/smoky flavours to satisfy the Islay-heads. When compared to what we might consider “signature Ardbeg”, the sweetness is a little dialed down. I can’t help but wonder if the cask inventory that contributed to this whisky had a higher proportion of second-fill or refill casks, possibly reducing the vanillins imparted to the spirit? (Supporting my theory, the whisky is also very light in colour for 17 years in the wood). There’s certainly less of the vanilla character we associate with the 10yo, and perhaps also less of the lemon/citrus that comes with the Ardbeg 10. These are not “missing ingredients”, nor are my comments a “lament”. They simply define what makes this a different Ardbeg and why the Ardbeg 17 stood apart from its stablemates. There’s a complexity to the palate and, to cut to the chase, yes, this is very tasty and enjoyable. But I confess I do miss the texture and mouthfeel we would typically associate with a non-chillfiltered Ardbeg. (BTW…confused about chillfiltration? Read our Explainer Article here).
Finish: Soft embers, pine, tar, smoked bread, lots of bakery notes, and something that’s a little metallic. Insanely long. A superb footprint.
Comments: The finish is extraordinary and leaves a long, lasting imprint on your tastebuds. The mouthfeel is less oily than Ardbeg fans might be accustomed to, and the slightly drier palate actually serves to reveal more of the phenolics, even though overall phenol levels are supposedly lower. Very tasty and enjoyable stuff.
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Final thoughts? The one aspect of the original 1997 Ardbeg 17yo they’ve failed to replicate here is the price. At $280 Australian, it’s certainly one of the more expensive 17 year old whiskies doing the rounds. (RRP’s in other markets are £160 and US$175). Time, inflation, ever-increasing excise rates, and – let’s be honest – a completely different single malt market these days go most of the way in accounting for the price tag. Some writers and opinion-givers around the world have been critical of either the price tag or the lower ABV (or, more commonly, both) but as is often the case with such consumerism, much of the commentary is from those who’ve not tasted the whisky, or who don’t appreciate the pedigree. That’s okay…. Ardbeg’s not for everyone, and we’ve known that since 1981.
Having tasted and enjoyed the whisky, I concede A$280 is on the steep side for a 17yo whisky, however, there are a few contributing factors at play that leave me feeling comfortable with the price tag:
- The whisky is delicious.
- It’s a Limited Edition.
- It’s intended as a replica of a discontinued bottling that currently sells for north of $1,500 on the secondary market.
- For me, personally, it instantly takes me back to the distillery. Closing my eyes and nosing my glass, it’s hard not to imagine I’m standing in the doorway of one of Ardbeg’s warehouses with a dram in my hand. And, on that note….
- $280 is significantly cheaper than the alternative of flying to the distillery to experience the real thing! 😊
Cheers,
AD
PS…are you an Ardbeg fan? Here’s just a small handful of some previous articles and write-ups we’ve done on Ardbeg that you can find on Whisky & Wisdom…
Ardbeg Twenty Something – 22 Years Old
The 8 year-old “for discusion”, which I find superior to either the OB 10 year-old or the “Wee Beastie”, is STILL available from the Ardbeg store. I bought two bottles at a flash sale last year for $85 each.
What whisky.fun calls “the Age of Arrogance” in whisky is in its final days.
Hi Ken – many thanks for your thoughts. I wholeheartedly agree with you – I reckon the Ardbeg 8yo For Discussion is the best OB whisky to come out of the Ardbeg stable in the last 6 – 7 years! That’s not to say other releases have been poor…merely to endorse that the 8yo is absolutely brilliant! A superb drop. 🙂