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    Home » Single Malt Scotch

    Published Jun 8, 2018 · Updated Nov 9, 2023 · by Tammy Spencer · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Ardbeg Distillery Scotch Tasting for Ardbeg Day

    Jump to Reviews

    It's time to have an Ardbeg Day sample lineup of some of Ardbeg's award-winning expressions, like An Oa, Corryvreckan, and Uigeadail, and their newest addition, Grooves. We're sipping on Islay time now!

    Photo of  the Ardbeg Distillery on Islay.this …
    (photo credit: Ardbeg.com)
    Jump To: hide
    The Ardbeg Distillery
    Ardbeg is known for their peat
    Ardbeg Day Scotch Tasting
    Ardbeg 10yr
    Ardbeg Uigeadail
    Ardbeg Corryvreckan
    Ardbeg An Oa
    Ardbeg Grooves
    Final thoughts
    Related Tasting Notes

    [Note: This post is sponsored by Ardbeg Distillery.]

    Ah, island time…unhurried, palm trees swaying in soft tropical breezes, white sandy beaches, fruity drinks with little umbrellas…

    (Hold up there, where are we?) 

    Oh, sorry…wrong island! You’ll forgive that this California girl has been to Hawaii, but never to Islay (although I really do want to go there someday).

    The Ardbeg Distillery

    But you’re right, it’s Islay time we want to focus on (still unhurried), and the Ardbeg Distillery in particular.

    Why Ardbeg? Well, Ardbeg Day was last weekend, and I had a chance to savor an excellent Ardbeg Day sample lineup courtesy of Lauren Petka of The Baddish Group.

    Officially founded in 1815 (though whisky was distilled there before that), Ardbeg was at one time the largest distillery on Islay.

    Now it’s the second smallest, but it’s popularity is booming thanks to its quintessential representation of that great Islay whisky characteristic…peat.

    I've discussed peat in scotch before, so I won’t beat you over the head with it here (thanks for that!).

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    Ardbeg is known for their peat

    As one of the most heavily peated spirits from Islay, the Ardbeg line is bold and challenging, yet there are different levels fruity, spicy, and sweet overtones that set the various offerings apart from just being peat monsters.

    As a result, Ardbeg expressions have layers and layers of aromas and flavors to experience and enjoy.

    This year the aforementioned Ardbeg Day celebrated the “village of Peat & Love” (see their cute movie) with a limited release of Ardbeg Grooves which I was fortunate enough to sample (thanks, Lauren!).

    Ok, let’s set aside any more ado and get to the tasting notes! (yes, let’s!)

    Ardbeg Day sample lineup bottles on a counter.
    The cute samples that Lauren sent me!

    Ardbeg Day Scotch Tasting

    At home, June 2, 2018

    Ardbeg 10yr

    46%ABV
    Type: Scottish

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: beachy mist, light driftwood smoke, a hint of caramel
    • Taste: sharp, smokiness, medium body, immediate burn with white pepper, seaweed
    • Finish: smoke lingers a long time, menthol at the end, warmth in the back of the throat is pleasant
    • Comments: grabs the tongue and holds on, great intro to the Islay smoke…no holds barred

    Ardbeg Uigeadail

    54.2%ABV
    Pronounced "Oog-a-dal"
    Type: Scottish

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: sweet sea grass, cream, soft smoke down the beach, cereal grains
    • Taste: soft entrance, white pepper rises with embers and ashes, medium body
    • Finish: creamy sweetness returns with the smokiness holding on, fades very slowly
    • Comments: fills the mouth with beach bonfire, savor the long sweet and smoky finish; with water the pepper is tamed to reveal seawater brine and a softer smokiness, fades a little faster

    Ardbeg Corryvreckan

    57.1%ABV
    Named after a local whirlpool
    Type: Scottish

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: soft beach smoke, light herbal, ocean breeze
    • Taste: sharp hit of ash, sulfur rises quickly, lighter in body
    • Finish: fades to eucalyptus leaves and a whiff of seawater brine, the smoke hangs on and on
    • Comments: all smoke and ash, echoes the rise and fall of the tides; with water the ashes and matches flavor intensifies, then the menthol and smoke peek out and stay for a while

    Ardbeg An Oa

    46.6%ABV
    Type: Scottish

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: mint and brine, sweet caramel candy, light clover honey
    • Taste: soft entry, sweet honey leads to brine and smoke, light to medium body
    • Finish: smoke stays long after the sweetness fades, then the mint comes back and stays a while
    • Comments: a nice balance between sweetness and smoke, doesn’t hit you over the head but enters easily, really lovely!

    Ardbeg Grooves

    46%ABV
    Type: Scottish

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: clover honey, oak, light smoke and ocean breezes
    • Taste: matches and ashes, more smoke than brine, oak sweetness and a little vanilla peeks out
    • Finish: sulphur and sweetness
    • Comments: nicely balanced, more smoky than An Oa, but still sweet and ashy; with water, just enhances the sweet smoke. Quite excellent!
    Photo of  the Ardbeg Distillery on Islay.
    Ardbeg sits peacefully on Islay (photo credit: Ardbeg.com)

    Final thoughts

    This is a really good lineup. The An Oa & Grooves shine, while the Uigeadail and Corryvreckan show Islay peat well.

    Hopefully I’ll get to visit Islay one day and savor a sip on Islay time, but until then I'll let the scotch transport me there!

    Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!

    Tammy

    Related Tasting Notes

    Scotch comes in different styles. There's single malt scotch, blended scotch, and peated scotch. Here's where you can find a peated scotch I've reviewed in a lineup.

    • Peated Scotch & Whiskey
    Tammy dressed in her culinary school chef's coat.

    I hope you like this review! If you tried the expressions or have a question, I'd love for you to leave a comment below. Thanks!

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    Hi, I'm Tammy! My fascination with baking comes from my love of science and the magic of bringing together ingredients to produce something yummy. Coupling that with my appreciation of scotches and bourbons, I love to bake stuff, jot down my whisky tasting notes, and share my experiences with you!

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