Ardbeg Ardcore Committee Release Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky 50.1% 700ml

ABV:50.1%

Another Ardbeg Day release arrives, bottled once and never to be repeated.This time around, it’s created with roasted black malt – a first for Ardbeg. Incinerated to within an inch of its life, the malt defines the profile contributing charcoal and sweet smoke, aniseed and dark chocolate for an in-your-face Islay experience. Trumping past releases, Ardbeg’s marketing department has gone to considerable lengths for the new release, this time focusing on brands alleged punk past, with Islays main port, Port Ellen, going by the nicknamePunk Ellenin the 1970s. Meanwhile, Ardbegs head of distilling and whisky creation,Dr. Bill Lumsden, describes the flavour beinglike biting on a spiky ball.More detailed tasting notes below.As usual, allocations are meagre, so in the interests of satisfying as many as possible, this is strictly limited to one bottle per customer.50.1% Alc./Vol.Collectable.

Notes from the producers…Spicy and savoury, Ardcore grips the senses with waves of marmite, burnt toast, chicory charcoal and infused coffee grounds making for a mosh pit in the glass. Like a safety pin through the septum, a classic Ardbeg herbal top note is present, while swirling, smoky bonfire and molasses loiter backstage. TASTE: A jaw dropping spicy and fiery mouthfeel leads to an explosion of rich, smoky flavours cocoa powder, dark chocolate, peanut brittle toffee, smoked lime and a suggestion of soot and bonfire embers all pogo in unison on the palate. Amped up aniseed and malty biscuit elbow their way to the fore, punkturing taste buds. FINISH: In an altogether sweeter finish, long, lingering notes of treacle toffee, soot and smoke make for an anarchic, but delicious, aftertaste.

The first sniffs bring young distillate to the fore, so from a fresh bottle give this a good ten minutes and you’ll get a moderate lift of menthol-infused peat that also hints at anise, fennel and rye bread receding into sweeter smoke and vanilla malt with further air contact. It’s medium bodied and sweetly peaty (think Caol Ila); hints of Elastoplast mingle with chocolate sponge cake and sprinklings of pepper; the finish is ashy and warming with citrus tang lacing late malt sweetness. Overall, in spite of the presentation and marketing, this is much more civilised and approachable than you might expect.