One that Ardbeg fans have been waiting on for a long time. The Ardbeg 10 Cask Strength, bottled at a formidable 61.7%, is one of those drams. I have to thank my buddy Claude for lending me the bottle, because this has quickly become the best Ardbeg I have tried in a very, very long time.
Let me get straight to it. If you are an old-school Ardbeg lover, you are going to absolutely adore this whisky. There is nothing not to love here. The nose is everything you want a bourbon cask matured peated Scotch to be. There is a gorgeous meaty, smoky note that reminds me of smoked deli meats, balanced by something genuinely sweet underneath; think honey, smoked hay, and smoked grass. Layer on that classic coastal character, all empty seashells and briny salt, with a touch of powdered sugar, and you have a seriously complete nose.
What truly astonishes me is the palate. At over 60% ABV and only 10 years old, you would expect a wall of heat. Instead, you get super briny, viscous, beautifully controlled spirit with almost no burn at all. The viscosity is incredible, and the peat level sits at what I would call perfect. This is the whisky everybody was hoping for and asking for, and Ardbeg finally delivered.
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My one gripe has nothing to do with what is in the glass. Ardbeg tends to run pricier here in Canada, and even in Alberta it often costs more than it does in the US. Value hunters will do better south of the border. My other small wish is that Ardbeg would age-state all of their community releases. If it is 5 years old, let us know. If it is 3, let us know. When it happens to be a stellar 10 years old like this one, absolutely let us know.
For me, this bottle lands at an 88. If the sweetness had been dialled up just a touch, the score would have crept higher, though a few drops of water might coax that out for you. Personally, I do not think it needs any. I will certainly be hunting out another bottle to buy for myself, because if the recent standard 10 has left you cold, this release will pull you right back onto Ardbeg.
So, is this the return to form you have been waiting for? Let me know in the comments.
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READ THE STORYTo see my full tasting of the Ardbeg 10 Year Old Cask Strength, check out my YouTube video.
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