Ardbeg 10 Years old-Suitable for those older then 10 (Ardbeg's Ten Years Old)

Member Name: jonnyfun06

Product:	Ardbeg's Ten Years Old
Date:	28/05/09 (65 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Strong smokey peaty firey

Disadvantages: Not for the faint hearted

Ardbeg 10 years old is a Single Islay Malt Scotchish Whisky and as such has the distinctive peaty taste that accomplines most Islay malts and this is one of my personal favorites.

As the description of this product tells you, it is a special bottling for the Ardbeg distillery as it is the only non-chill filtered whisky in the Ardbeg range. This sounds very exciting, but I had no idea what that meant, so I did a little research. I still have to admit that the actual process still eludes me, however, the reason to chill filter a whisky is to maintain consistency across a distillation run, that is, each bottle will taste the same. I have found that this method was implimented when the whisky industry was a little more hap-hazard than it is today.

So what that means with this whisky is that the drink that you have in your bottle is almost straight from the cask, which means you are getting a very original taste.

The first thing that I would have to talk about is the smell. Well coming straight from the cask almost does make a difference. Don't be expecting a subtle whisky hit from this one, Ardbeg 10 is very much in your face. This fact hits you from your first sniff with this whiskey being once of the most noticable peaty aromas of any whisky I have had. Saying that there is a good balance to the smell an underlying sweetness reminiscent of caramel of toffee. There is also a smokeyness to this whisky, which is perhaps the smell that lingers the longest, imagine a dying open fire, and you wouldn't be that far away from the smell.

So what about the taste? Sitting on the tongue, you get the initial feeling of smoothness, however, that is soon replaced by once again the strong peat and almost an espresso kick to accompany that. The fire is also definately there, but it is tempered by the sweetness thats rounds out the taste very nicely.

This whiskey also has an excellent finish. It is almost as if it realizes that it has just smacked you round the face and eases that with a long and smokey, almost comfoting finish. You feel happy to hold this in your hand, knowing that the next sip means all this is going to happen again.

According to my local whisky shop, Ardbeg 10 is one of the most popular whiskies that they sell, and it is easy to see why. If you are new to single malts, and in particular single Islay malts then this might be the wrong whisky to begin your journey with. However, if you like your Islay, and if you like a strong peat whisky, and if your happy to be slapped around a little (that is meant in a positive way, I promise) by your whiskey, then I think that this is the drink for you.

Look out for the distinctive green and black packaging that imitates the green bottle with black label inside and pick up an excellent whisky. On the Ardbeg website (www.ardbeg.com) this is available for £31.99, which I think is a little overpriced. Alternatively, you can buy this is Sainbury's for £28.99. Or if you get friendly with your local whisky shop, he might just do you a deal, like he did for me, where I got it for £24.99.

Summary: A whisky that must be in your collection