Review - Ardbeg Grooves Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

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Rating 4 Glasses

• Distillery: Ardbeg Distillery
  • Years Aged: NAS
  • Proof: 92
    • Local Price (USD): $99.99
      • Availability: Rare

 

Tasting Notes

• Color & Consistency: Rich lusciously dark caramel and although the color may portray a beautifully aged specimen they haven't fooled us a bit. Slower thin legs.
• Nose: Rich pipe tobacco, like smoking a pipe during a cool misty morning sitting on a bench overlooking the sea with the subtle sound of bagpipes playing in the distance.
• Taste: Tastes like an an Ardbeg should and that's not a bad thing. Smoke, lighter on the peat than other Ardbegs, definitely meaty and not as briny but she's still sea worthy. Slight caramel & toffee notes.
• Finish: Shorter than its brothers. Mild oiliness with smoke and a little bit of peatiness.
• Conclusion: Grooves is groovy but definitely a lighter Ardbeg release that is more approachable for the casual Islay fan. We would compare it to a blend between AN OA and Ardbeg 10 . It's really good overall and better than Kelpie with less in your face brininess and a little bit o' peat & little bit o' smoke. Great committee release for 2018. Jeff said that he would buy anything Ardbeg after enjoying this dram. Even thought we ranked it highly it feels slightly overpriced leaving us to knock it a little bit on glass rating.

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Review - Ardbeg Kelpie Single Malt Scotch

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Rating 3.5 Glasses

• Distillery: Ardbeg Distillery
  • Years Aged: NAS
  • Proof: 92
    • Local Price (USD): $109.00
      • Availability: Uncommon

 

Tasting Notes

• Color & Consistency: Light hay. Long, thin & inconsistent legs. 
• Nose: Smoke, peat & salty sea air. The Black Sea and caviar
• Taste: Oilier than Ardbeg 10, smoked salmon, peat. Old butterscotch candies from last thanksgiving that ended up in grandma Betsy's ashtray instead of the candy bowl.
• Finish: Straight and to the point, doesn't linger long. Smokey bitterness with a hint of roasted seaweed.
• Conclusion: Tastes like a burning fishing vessel. Smooth with a taste of the sea and all of the peatiness we have come to know and love from Ardbeg. Very tasty but save your rupees and by 2 or more bottles of Ardbeg 10. It's just a little too expensive for what you get and one of the reasons we knocked it down a glass on the rating. If you are an Ardbeg fan like we are, then definitely grab a bottle.

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Review - Kilchoman Sanaig

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Rating 3.5 Glasses

• Distillery: Kilchoman Distillery
  • Years Aged: N/A
  • Proof: 92
    • Local Price (USD): $76.00
      • Availability: Widespread
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• From Kilchoman's Website:
• Kilchoman is the first distillery to be established on Islay in over 124 years. The distillery was built in 2005, with the first run of new spirit comming off the stills later that year. It is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland with an annual production of approximatley 120,000 litres of alcohol and is one of only six distilleries to carry out traditional floor maltings. Their barley is grown right there on the farm, whereas other distilleries purchase barley from around the country. Anthony Wills, the founder and managing director of the Kilchoman Distillery Co Ltd ran his own independent single cask bottling company for 8 years when he came up with the idea of building a farm distillery. Islay was chosen as the location for the distillery because of it’s reputation for producing top quality malts, and also because Anthony knew the island well having married into a family that had owned an estate on the Island for 60 years. Specifically Rockside Farm was chosen because of the ideal buildings available and because the farm grows the best malting barley on the island.
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Tasting Notes

• Color & Consistency: Golden wheat with mildly developing legs that run into oblivion
• Nose: Peat, sherry & caramel with a hint of brine. Light stewed fruits & hazlenuts
• Taste: Peat again, sweet, orange/citrus rind and vanilla
  • Finish: Take everything that is great about the taste and just let it linger awhile
• Conclusion: Definitely gets two points for presentation. Just sniff, sip, repeat. Sweeter than most Islay Scotch but really a delicious combination of flavors and the sweetness is not overpowering. We would buy this one again in a heartbeat although its unique history and flavor most likely warrant the higher price tag, it may be somewhat of a hold back.

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Review - Lagavulin 2000/2016 Distillers Edition Scotch Whisky

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Rating 4 Glasses

• Distillery: Lagavulin Distillery
• Years Aged: 16
• Proof: 86
• Price (USD): $105.95
• Availability: Rare

Tasting Notes

• Color & Consistency: Dark amber. Its curvaceous sauntering legs show the age of this whisky
• Nose: Beachside candy shop, peat & smoke
  • Taste: Slightly bitter, caramel, oak, earthy with a hint of salt
  • Finish: Nutty, low heat, nutmeg,  smoke that fades quickly
• Conclusion: Lagavulin is traditionally a powerhouse when stacked up against others in its category on the merits of flavor profile, smoke and sheer strength of body. This particular selection of the Distillers Edition is more refined in its smokiness than say an Ardbeg or Laphroaig but falls slightly on its face in terms of strength. 2000/2016 has a very young mouth feel and most likely could have benefited from bottling at a slightly higher proof say 90-92. That being said, the lower alcohol content does allow you to enjoy the myriad of flavors presented without cutting it with water.
  • The goal of The Distiller's Edition seems to be showcasing the ability of Lagavulin to produce and present a reserved yet broad and rich flavor profiled dram. The only thing that brings the rating down for us is the longing for a bit more alcohol to help cut through and balance out the rich flavors. This is definitely one that we would buy again.

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