Malt Mission 2007 #127

Ardbeg Almost There
Islay Single Malt Whisky
54.1% abv
£30

Had the Still Young yesterday, and we are getting a year older today with Arbeg Almost There. This bottling is from all ex-bourbon casks, all 9 years old. After dubbing the first two releases of this series "Very Silly" and "Still Silly", even the ever-opinionated Richard Joynson of Loch Fyne Whiskies found something nice to say. "Ardbeg Almost There is not at all silly or even deserving of our proposed moniker of Almost Sensible, this is Perfect Ardbeg." And he is not alone. This stuff has been critically acclaimed across the board and the whisky world is pretty excited about the eventual release of the post-Allied, Glenmorangie plc produced 10 year old.

All Ardbeg Malt Mission posts can be found HERE

TASTING NOTES:

Black licorice, pine, fireplace, burnt beard/hair. Satsumas or mandarin squash/concentrate. Dirty Ardbeg bottom with some chemical odours of shampoo, tar, and tires. Has a winter-air effect, cold steel.

Big movement from sweets to salts with matzos in between. Syrupy, lemon Monin. Almost a smoky oil layer in the mouth too, smoked cod liver oil. Orange peels keep things bright while Play-doh and clay keep things earthy. Ardbeg coffee and chocolate are present along with more dirty Ardbeg characteristics in the form of compost or bad, bad breath.

SUMMARY:

Quite complex stuff that could be mulled over for hours. I am not ashamed to say that this is not really my bag, but I don't need to sell you on this. As I've said before, Ardbeg aficionados abound. This stuff will sell even if one whisky blogger says it tastes like compost or bad breath. I look forward to the new 10yo, but imagine I will remain a Uigeadail drinker when it's an Ardbeg evening.

Malt Mission #126
Malt Mission #128
Malt Mission #129
Malt Mission #130

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