I think you're spot on and I hardly ever hear Ardbeg 10 described in this way, it's nice to hear someone else vocalise exactly how I feel about it. On the nose and palate you get smoke that is trying to overwhelm your nose and tongue, but there is something fresh and clean that's constantly trying to push the smoke away, so the smoke keeps washing over you in pleasant waves. And then in the finish the smoke just stays and stays, but it becomes a bit more ashy smoke than acrid boggy smoke. Aside from lemon zest I also get some salt and a hint of spearmint contributing to that freshness. Sadly had a bottle that tasted very young and rough last time, but hope that was just an accident.
Great review, Jim. As mentioned in my comment to Bud Jenkins, I just tried the Ardbeg Ten again for the first time in maybe 8-10 years. As with the reason for your re-review - I'm glad that I re-visited it too. My palate has definitely changed - and I really really liked it, despite what I thought. Even though I only had this one dram at the hotel in Cyprus, I can so much relate to your tasting notes. I love the fresh and clean edge it has, balancing all the peat and damp notes so well. It has such an elegant and fresh side with a "crisp cleanliness" to it imo. Fun fact as a final note: I had it served in a...... champagne glass 🤨 The bartender indeed did ask "may I ask why??" and looked quite funny while asking 😂But the choice was obvious for me, as the alternative was a classic tumbler or a way to large bowl of a cognac glass, which would mean that a lot of the nose would disappear. So the champagne glass was actually the best alternative to try concentrating the nose a bit. One has to get a little creative from time to time, I guess.
Cheers Benny. Totally get the champagne glass mate. I was at a gathering with family recently and drank my whiskey on that occassion from a white wine glass. Once again...alternative was a big, clunky tumbler. Wine glass felt better 😄.
Yes indeed, this is a classic! The way your described the up and down is my typical experience on the palate with layers and layers of different things revealing from sip to sip. When I'm in the mood for smoky, this is the Islay I enjoy. The smoke goes on and on in the finish (without water), but you have peaked my interest to try a drop of water in this. I avoided Ardbeg for years because I was afraid the smoke/peat would overpower everything. Once I tried it I've kept it in the cabinet. Caol Ila 18 is cracking for a 43%, but it has gotten expensive! Speaking of expensive, Danny got a bottle of Ardbeg Scorch for Christmas and he shared it with me-- decent but not a value. Thanks, Jim.
I'm so on par with this, Bud. I too have avoided Ardbeg (and other peated whiskies) for years, from a distant memory I thought that they were too dominant or overpowering as you say, for my palate to my liking. But then in the hotel bar in Cyprus 10 days ago - I decided to order a pour of the Ardbeg Ten. To try it again. And I was pleasantly surprised... so much that I have to get myself a bottle probably rather sooner than later.
Cheers Bud. It could certainly be described as a rollercoaster whisky 😉. There are ups and downs but it's always in some way thrilling. Haven't tried the Scorch. Ardbeg, in my opinion, have a fairly solid core range. They spend too much time focusing on committee releases and experimentation though. It's about time they reined that in a bit I feel. Thanks my friend.
Love the Ardbeg 10yo. Stunning dram. Enough said. Thanks for re-reviewing it, Jim. And on the "If you tried this" section, I would suggest to explore Ardbeg further and step up to the Corryvreckan. Slàinte mhath.
If you had asked me 3 weeks ago, I would have said "nah, thanks but no thanks, not for me, nope!". But after tasting it in the hotel bar in Cyprus, I definitely have to get myself a bottle of the Ardbeg Ten, when the opportunity is right (i.e. next time I shop other bottles online and the price is right). Funny how things can change almost instantaneously...
What I love about Arbeg 10 is that it demands your attention. No time to multi-task when this is in your glass. I am actually a big fan of the Wee Beastie. I try to have both in my collection. Cheers Jim.
😄😄 very well put Bill. You can't really forget it's in your glass either. Get within 5 feet of it and you can smell it 😂 I'm a little on the fence about the Wee Beastie now. I enjoyed it at first but, it's lost a bit of its shine for me now. Cheers buddy.
I had to lol at one point ... you said, 'Smells like a burnt out ...' and in my mind I filled in '... vehicle in west Belfast!' HAHAHA! Thou almost persuadest me to give it another try, Jimbo. And I LOVE clove rock - lookin' forward to going down to the wee corner shop in Bushmills to get a wee poke. :)
😂😂 "I'm definately getting hints of a burnt out 1978 Mark 2 Fort Cortina here!" 🤣🤣 Aye clove rock is very distinctive mate. It'll be a long time before I describe anything as tasting of dulse though 🤢. Not a fan 😂 Cheers Rich.
Nice review. What I do like is how the whisky changes over time as the level goes down. I had the 10 year old for about 7 years. Going back over time and for me it got so much better. The last quarter was so nice. Loads of vanilla and cinnamon. Smoke does mellow out great. Cheers.
Cheers Gert. Yeah I'd agree that the lifespan of a bottle of Ardbeg 10 is an ever changing experience. I'll never gas any bottles for this reason. Although some would disagree, I'm convinced oxidation happens in whisky and it can make a full bottle very different from start to finish.
@@WhiskeyNovice I love the changes. Had a glenfarclas heritige. Did not like the neck pour. One quarter in and about 8 months later it was so much better.
Same as you Jim, always got an Ardbeg 10 at home. For price and quality its hard to beat. Its got to have reached cult status, hasn’t it? Enjoyed this review, slàinte Jim.
Probably one of the most accessible Ardbeg’s on offer. Love the 10yo, the wee beastie was a let down, the 8yo is growing on us and the other nas releases we find good to indifferent depending on mood. Always have the 10yo on the shelves. Another fine (re)review ...
I'm one of those still working up to heavily peated whiskies. I just don't connect with the heavily peated stuff. My bar contains many beloved whiskies containing peated spirit but they aren't dominated by it. I have a bottle of Ardbeg 10 gifted to me by a cousin a few years ago. I am no longer on good terms with that cousin 😉but I'll have to break out that bottle again and see what happens.
Cheers Mike. I think (as whisky enthusiasts) we will all size up to the "heavily peated" conundrum at some point. It is a whole other world of whisky in some ways I suppose. Thanks buddy.
Hi , the latest bottle of Ardbeg 10 i've had was a real let down , too much bitterness & sour , not as complex either , just a bit flat & forgettable , poor casks i suspect , was always a perma shelf !! Not so sure now Nov 2024
I only have one question.....when are they going to fuck it up? Reviewing Ardbeg10 is like reviewing the moon in terms of celestial bodies in Earth's orbit. I guess my second question is....how is single malt such an intriguing thing that we have a desire, a clawing need, to find something else that's better than the king? "All cost and reason be damned! We shall overthrow Ardbeg10!" I believe that only the corporate multinational owners of the brand have the power to ruin it.......unless they run out of barley for some reason.
🤣🤣🤣 brilliant Matt. That being said...LVMH are doing pretty well at making a balls of the Ardbeg brand recently. It's about time they stopped experimenting so much and started focusing on what they're good at again. Cheers buddy.
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Port sharlote 10 heavily peated is a good alternative too I guess.
I think you're spot on and I hardly ever hear Ardbeg 10 described in this way, it's nice to hear someone else vocalise exactly how I feel about it. On the nose and palate you get smoke that is trying to overwhelm your nose and tongue, but there is something fresh and clean that's constantly trying to push the smoke away, so the smoke keeps washing over you in pleasant waves. And then in the finish the smoke just stays and stays, but it becomes a bit more ashy smoke than acrid boggy smoke. Aside from lemon zest I also get some salt and a hint of spearmint contributing to that freshness. Sadly had a bottle that tasted very young and rough last time, but hope that was just an accident.
🙏 thank you. Much appreciated.
Great review, Jim. As mentioned in my comment to Bud Jenkins, I just tried the Ardbeg Ten again for the first time in maybe 8-10 years.
As with the reason for your re-review - I'm glad that I re-visited it too. My palate has definitely changed - and I really really liked it, despite what I thought.
Even though I only had this one dram at the hotel in Cyprus, I can so much relate to your tasting notes. I love the fresh and clean edge it has, balancing all the peat and damp notes so well. It has such an elegant and fresh side with a "crisp cleanliness" to it imo.
Fun fact as a final note: I had it served in a...... champagne glass 🤨 The bartender indeed did ask "may I ask why??" and looked quite funny while asking 😂But the choice was obvious for me, as the alternative was a classic tumbler or a way to large bowl of a cognac glass, which would mean that a lot of the nose would disappear. So the champagne glass was actually the best alternative to try concentrating the nose a bit. One has to get a little creative from time to time, I guess.
Cheers Benny. Totally get the champagne glass mate. I was at a gathering with family recently and drank my whiskey on that occassion from a white wine glass. Once again...alternative was a big, clunky tumbler. Wine glass felt better 😄.
Yes indeed, this is a classic! The way your described the up and down is my typical experience on the palate with layers and layers of different things revealing from sip to sip. When I'm in the mood for smoky, this is the Islay I enjoy. The smoke goes on and on in the finish (without water), but you have peaked my interest to try a drop of water in this. I avoided Ardbeg for years because I was afraid the smoke/peat would overpower everything. Once I tried it I've kept it in the cabinet. Caol Ila 18 is cracking for a 43%, but it has gotten expensive! Speaking of expensive, Danny got a bottle of Ardbeg Scorch for Christmas and he shared it with me-- decent but not a value. Thanks, Jim.
I'm so on par with this, Bud. I too have avoided Ardbeg (and other peated whiskies) for years, from a distant memory I thought that they were too dominant or overpowering as you say, for my palate to my liking.
But then in the hotel bar in Cyprus 10 days ago - I decided to order a pour of the Ardbeg Ten. To try it again. And I was pleasantly surprised... so much that I have to get myself a bottle probably rather sooner than later.
Cheers Bud. It could certainly be described as a rollercoaster whisky 😉. There are ups and downs but it's always in some way thrilling.
Haven't tried the Scorch. Ardbeg, in my opinion, have a fairly solid core range. They spend too much time focusing on committee releases and experimentation though. It's about time they reined that in a bit I feel.
Thanks my friend.
Love the Ardbeg 10yo. Stunning dram.
Enough said.
Thanks for re-reviewing it, Jim.
And on the "If you tried this" section, I would suggest to explore Ardbeg further and step up to the Corryvreckan.
Slàinte mhath.
Cheers Frank. Agreed, agreed, agreed 😁
Slàinte my friend.
If you had asked me 3 weeks ago, I would have said "nah, thanks but no thanks, not for me, nope!". But after tasting it in the hotel bar in Cyprus, I definitely have to get myself a bottle of the Ardbeg Ten, when the opportunity is right (i.e. next time I shop other bottles online and the price is right).
Funny how things can change almost instantaneously...
What I love about Arbeg 10 is that it demands your attention. No time to multi-task when this is in your glass. I am actually a big fan of the Wee Beastie. I try to have both in my collection. Cheers Jim.
😄😄 very well put Bill. You can't really forget it's in your glass either. Get within 5 feet of it and you can smell it 😂
I'm a little on the fence about the Wee Beastie now. I enjoyed it at first but, it's lost a bit of its shine for me now.
Cheers buddy.
A few hours ago, I had my first dram of Ardbeg 10.
10 out of 10 stars.
I had to lol at one point ... you said, 'Smells like a burnt out ...' and in my mind I filled in '... vehicle in west Belfast!' HAHAHA! Thou almost persuadest me to give it another try, Jimbo. And I LOVE clove rock - lookin' forward to going down to the wee corner shop in Bushmills to get a wee poke. :)
😂😂 "I'm definately getting hints of a burnt out 1978 Mark 2 Fort Cortina here!" 🤣🤣
Aye clove rock is very distinctive mate. It'll be a long time before I describe anything as tasting of dulse though 🤢. Not a fan 😂
Cheers Rich.
Nice review. What I do like is how the whisky changes over time as the level goes down. I had the 10 year old for about 7 years. Going back over time and for me it got so much better. The last quarter was so nice. Loads of vanilla and cinnamon. Smoke does mellow out great. Cheers.
Cheers Gert. Yeah I'd agree that the lifespan of a bottle of Ardbeg 10 is an ever changing experience. I'll never gas any bottles for this reason. Although some would disagree, I'm convinced oxidation happens in whisky and it can make a full bottle very different from start to finish.
@@WhiskeyNovice I love the changes. Had a glenfarclas heritige. Did not like the neck pour. One quarter in and about 8 months later it was so much better.
Same as you Jim, always got an Ardbeg 10 at home. For price and quality its hard to beat. Its got to have reached cult status, hasn’t it? Enjoyed this review, slàinte Jim.
It's gotta be done David. If this was the only expression Ardbeg released...I think I could live with that 😉
Slàinte buddy.
Probably one of the most accessible Ardbeg’s on offer. Love the 10yo, the wee beastie was a let down, the 8yo is growing on us and the other nas releases we find good to indifferent depending on mood. Always have the 10yo on the shelves. Another fine (re)review ...
Totally agree Hellen. There are alternatives within the Ardbeg family but, the 10 is still the stand out for flavour, availability and value.
Cheers.
Excellent honest review, best I've seen!
Cheers Jon.
I'm one of those still working up to heavily peated whiskies. I just don't connect with the heavily peated stuff. My bar contains many beloved whiskies containing peated spirit but they aren't dominated by it. I have a bottle of Ardbeg 10 gifted to me by a cousin a few years ago. I am no longer on good terms with that cousin 😉but I'll have to break out that bottle again and see what happens.
Cheers Mike. I think (as whisky enthusiasts) we will all size up to the "heavily peated" conundrum at some point. It is a whole other world of whisky in some ways I suppose.
Thanks buddy.
This is THE Ardbeg. What a fantastic whisky. This is the one to really know what a smokey whisky is. This is the King.
You like it then? 😄
Cheers Antonio.
Hi , the latest bottle of Ardbeg 10 i've had was a real let down , too much bitterness & sour , not as complex either , just a bit flat & forgettable , poor casks i suspect , was always a perma shelf !! Not so sure now Nov 2024
My gateway drug 😆
😄😄
I only have one question.....when are they going to fuck it up?
Reviewing Ardbeg10 is like reviewing the moon in terms of celestial bodies in Earth's orbit.
I guess my second question is....how is single malt such an intriguing thing that we have a desire, a clawing need, to find something else that's better than the king? "All cost and reason be damned! We shall overthrow Ardbeg10!"
I believe that only the corporate multinational owners of the brand have the power to ruin it.......unless they run out of barley for some reason.
🤣🤣🤣 brilliant Matt. That being said...LVMH are doing pretty well at making a balls of the Ardbeg brand recently. It's about time they stopped experimenting so much and started focusing on what they're good at again.
Cheers buddy.
Kratos.drinkin whiskey