Ardbeg 21 Year Old – 2016 – 46%

Info: Ardbeg 21 Year Old 2016 Committee release.
Colour: Fairly light, straw with some sunlight on it.
Nose: Slight farmyard hints, herbs, slightly peppery herbs, heathery peat, mashed up grapes, hints of coal or charcoal. Gentle oaks and some malt bringing up the rear. After a while and a little air, sweet and subtle tones of summery citrus come through on waves of coastal air.
Palate: The palate is nice and thick with creamy sweet oils, which I maybe wasn’t expecting and is a treat. As you hold it on your tongue after a while gentle puffs of peat smoke start to come forward mingled with a coastal peatiness.
Finish: The finish is really interesting; fairly quickly it reduces into a subtle, but long finish which isn’t sweet lead, it’s more savoury, and not dominated by wood tannins, which is great. At the end you’re left with smoky puffs.
Thoughts: It’s very nice, although with an RRP of £310, and an ABV that doesn’t appear to be cask strength, it seems to be very much aimed at the premium end of the market… not that that seemed to harm sales, it sold out pretty much instantly. Is it good? Yes! Is it amazing? Umm… Fairly, especially if you’re a big Ardbeg fan, you’d love for sure it if so.
Available: Sold out. Auctions only.

Thanks to Ardbeg for the sample.

Comments or questions? Why not come and find me on twitter @steveprentice.