Ardbeg Ten Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review

 

The tiny Scottish island of Islay is home to about 3000 people, yet it is home to ten working distilleries making some of the peatiest whiskies in the world. They are Ardnahoe, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, and Port Ellen, which only reopened in March 2014 after 41 years.   

 

The tenth is Ardbeg, which is situated on Islay's southern coast. Founded in 1815 by John Macdougal, the distillery was sold in 1838 to Thomas Buchanan; however, John's son, Alexander, continued to run operations. Alexander died in 1853, and his sisters, Margaret and Flora, along with Colin Hay, assumed control.

 

Margaret's and Flora's involvement was monumental, as very few women were distilling in Scotland. The earliest recorded female Scotch distiller was Helen Cumming, who founded Cardhu in 1824.  

 

Ownership returned to the Macdougals when, in 1922, Alexander Macdougal & Co purchased Ardbeg in its entirety. Then, in 1977, Hiram Walker acquired it only to shutter the distillery in 1981 due to minuscule demand. Its closure severely impacted the local economy, as the distillery employed only 18 people, yet the town relied heavily on it.  

 

Thankfully, in 1987, Hiram Walker was sold to Allied Lyons, and in 1989, the distillery rumbled back to life – for two years. It was then mothballed again. In 1997, The Glenmorangie Company purchased Ardbeg and remains its current owner. Finally, in 2021, Ardbeg doubled its distilling capacity by adding two stills.

 

"The water we use to produce Ardbeg comes from Loch Uigeadail, 3 miles up the hill behind the Distillery. The water flows down the hill and runs into Loch Airigh Nam Beist – from there the burn takes it to Charlie's Dam at the Distillery and from there it is piped into the Mash House." - Ardbeg

 

Before I go any further, I must disclose that I'm an Ardbeg fanboy. It doesn't mean I love everything out of that distillery. Still, given the choice between an unknown Ardbeg and an unknown pretty much anything else, I'm choosing the Ardbeg. I've experienced a loser or two (think Auriverdes). 

 

One of Ardbeg's core expressions is called Ten. It is a single malt made from a 100% malted barley mash from Port Ellen. It utilizes a heavy 55-65 PPM level of peat. Ten spent at least a decade (hence its name) in former Bourbon barrels. It is non-chill-filtered and naturally colored. It is an incredible pour indeed, and has been a favorite of the Ardbeg Committee, the worldwide community of Ardbeg enthusiasts powerful enough to influence what special releases Ardbeg launches.

 

Well, the Committee gods spoke, and this year brings us Ardbeg Ten Cask Strength, plucked, dumped, and blended from hand-selected American oak bourbon casks, including some experimental barrels unusually filled with undiluted spirit by the new Committee co-chairs Gillian Macdonald, Ardbeg's Master Blender, and Distillery Manager Bryony McNiven.

 

That's what I'm pouring in my Glencairn glass tonight! Packaged at 61.7% ABV (123.4°), Ardbeg Ten Cask Strength is naturally colored, non-chill filtered, and has a suggested price of $89.99 for 700mL. Ardbeg was kind enough to provide me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let's #DrinkCurious and taste how it fares.

 

• Whiskey Type: Single Malt Scotch
• Distiller: Ardbeg
• Age: 10 years
• Mashbill: 100% malted barley
• Cooperage: Former Bourbon barrels and undisclosed experimental casks
• Alcohol Content: 61.7% ABV (123.4°)
• Price per 700mL: $89.99
• Non-chill filtered
• Naturally colored

 

Appearance: The straw-colored whisky created a medium-thin rim that stuck to the glass like glue. Thick, tightly-packed, fast tears rolled down into the pool.

 

Nose: My whiskey library was instantly filled with the smell of smoky peat. I let it breathe for about 15 minutes while I inhaled the aroma. When I brought the glass beneath my nostrils, aside from the peat, I discovered dense lemon curd, vanilla, toasted coconut, maritime air, sweet oak, and musty cypress. As I took the vapor into my mouth, I found more toasted coconut.

 

Palate: I encountered a soft, creamy texture that offered a punch of black pepper and ash. With the second sip, I could discern salted caramel, lemon zest, and crème brulee on the front of my palate. The middle featured spiced nuts, toasted coconut, and chocolate, while I tasted flavors of black pepper, scorched, earthy peat, and oak spice.

 

Finish: Spiced nuts, burnt earthy peat, salted caramel, toasted coconut, black pepper, and crème brulee remained. The spiced nuts were dominating. It was a fairly level finish, short of a quick crescendo of black pepper that came at about 30 seconds in. Ardbet Ten Cask Strength offered warmth, but nothing even close to being remotely hot. The long duration ran 1:54 before falling off a cliff.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Ardbeg Ten Cask Strength drank perhaps a dozen points below its stated proof. The spiced nut components of the palate and finish had me rolling my eyes in pleasure. The crème brulee, chocolate, salt, and smoky, earthy peat were complementary and blended into something just lovely. If I were a smoker, I would have asked for a cigarette.

 

I truly savored what was in my glass, and I need a Bottle of it for my whiskey library.

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.