Ardbeg day dramas!

So, after waiting a whole year for the new Ardbeg release, I have finally tried the stuff, but didn't walk away with a bottle, and am yet to do a proper tasting :-(

Visiting my local Ardbeg embassy, Cru bar, in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, at 2pm today, found at least 15-20 people hanging around waiting to try the new release. This is a good sign, as last year it was just me and my wife when we were there, so I get the impression both Ardbeg and peated whisky is still increasing in popularity. Although, last year it was a bit earlier in the day so it may have been coincidental.

Anyway, we were given our samples to try, but I overheard one of the Cru bar staff saying their stock had been held up at customs, and they only had 3 bottles! Two of which they had to open for the tasting, as the LVMH (owners of Ardbeg) rep had not arrived yet with their 3-litre embassy tasting bottle. So, while I pondered how many bottles to buy, the third was snapped up by a lucky collector. I ended up ordering one bottle, which to the credit of the Cru bar team will be delivered ASAP once they get their stock, and at no extra charge. Also scored some lovely Ardbeg shot glasses which was a great bonus, and helped a little with the disappointment, so thanks for that guys!

After this we headed to Cobbler, my favourite whisky bar in the world, in West End, with the hope of getting there at opening (3pm),and having some more time with the new addition to the Ardbeg family. Only to find they were not opening the new bottling until 4.30pm, so with the wife & I fading fast after a long day, we decided to give up and just wait for my bottle to be delivered. Boo!

As for the Auriverdes itself, we were first to try it from the freshly opened bottle at Cru bar, so it had had hardly any oxygen contact, our palettes were tainted by the iced coffees we had sipped while watching the clock, and we were a little rushed (our own fault, nothing to do with our hosts). My initial impression was mixed, it is definitely lower on peat and much lower on smoke than the usual Ardbeg offerings, although I had expected this from some online gossip. There was a nice salty maritime presence there though, some medicinal and light coffee notes, a lot of vanilla and a hint of spice.

I will not form a concrete opinion on this puppy until I've had more time with it, but at this stage I don't believe it's close to the level of the last two years' 'day' bottlings, 'Ardbog' (see previous post), and 'Ardbeg Day' respectively. It is much more gentle and less 'confronting' to the amateur palate, although still identifiable as Ardbeg. It has also increased in price by $10 over last years 'Ardbog' release, and to be honest I think it's starting to push the boundaries of reasonable value for money, with no increase in age, strength or quality. The previous releases have been quite different and special enough to justify the jump in price, but I'm not sure the Auriverdes fits that bill. Let's hope next year's release stays at this price or even comes down a bit. Or maybe the disappointment of walking away empty handed, however temporarily, is clouding my judgement!

More details to come though, I will do a proper tasting and review as soon as I get my hands on some more of the Auriverdes, and some more time to dedicate to it. Stay tuned!

Ardbeg Ardbog Whisky Review

In anticipation of Ardbeg Day 2014 (May 31st), I'm reviewing last year's Ardbeg Day release, named Ardbog (as in peat bog).

Ardbeg Day is the annual celebration of all things Ardbeg, occuring the Islay festival (Feis Ile), when most distilleries have an open day of sorts, hosting various events at the distilleries, and also usually releasing a special bottling.

Ardbeg have taken this a step further, incorporating their worldwide 'Ardbeg embassies' by having them host tastings and special events, so you can get in to the celebration without flying to Scotland. You can also buy their festival bottling online, which is unusual for these special releases, normally being sold from the distillery only. Fantastic news for those of us who can't get to Islay each year!

While some see all of this activity as marketing hype and collector-baiting, I see it as a way of keeping excitement and freshness in the distillery, there can be no argument that each release is very different from the last, with the distillery trying something new & different basically every release. This one definitely fits that bill, since it's been partly-matured in Manzanilla sherry casks, which is a pale, light and dry fortified wine that typically has a fresh, dry and yeasty saline flavour. The remainder and majority of the vatting is your more typical ex-bourbon cask Ardbeg. It also carries an age statement in the text on the back label, which says that both components are at least ten years of age. The name Ardbog of course is a nod to the peat bogs that make up a good chunk of Islay's landscape.

Ardbeg Ardbog, 52.1% cask strength, 'at least 10 years' aged, Islay.

Un-chill-filtered, a blend of various 'standard' Ardbeg whisky aged in Bourbon casks, and Ardbeg aged in Manzanilla (dry, salty) sherry casks, all aged for at least 10 years.

(tasted neat)

Colour: Beautiful deep, dark bronze. How the sword on the box (found in a peat bog) probably looked in it's heyday. I know colour shouldn't be a major factor, but this stuff looks fantastic.

Texture: Oily, buttery, nice legs with slow movement. 

Nose: Sea spray, dry sherry, smoky oak, peat, a bag of salted potato chips (crisps).

Taste: Extra salty sea spray, peat, hint of toffee, drying. Quite smooth for the ABV%, buttery & oily, salty dry sherry, smoke, hint of oak. Much less sweetness than other bottlings, more dry, but still well balanced and enjoyable, very more-ish. 

Finish: Sea spray and salt remain clear, warming and long finish. Smoky oak & peat. 

Score: 4.5 out of 5. 

Comments: While easily recognisable as Ardbeg, it does have less of the vanilla sweetness, and more salt & maritime flavours than most Ardbeg's I'm familiar with. Although it wouldn't be your first choice if you prefer your whisky sweet, it is very well balanced and thoroughly delicious. 

Having tried the 2012 Ardbeg Day whisky (named simply 'Ardbeg Day'), and being yet to try the upcoming release (Auriverdes), this is my pick of the two, and indeed my second favourite Ardbeg whisky tasted to date. As you can probably guess, I had to get two of these bottles, one for drinking, and one for keeping. And yes, I'm thinking the Auriverdes will warrant the same thing. 

Interesting how different it is to the Bunnahabhain Toiteach I reviewed recently, given that they are both aged in Manzanilla sherry casks. The Ardbog  is definitely more complex and balanced than the Bunna, with less smoke, and more dry, salty sherry influence. Fantastic stuff. 

Ardbog can still be found in online whisky specialist shops, and for a reasonable price, I don't think it will stay that way for long. For example, the 'Ardbeg Day' bottling from 2012 is now near-impossible to find, and is selling at ridiculous prices (think at least three or four times what it sold for on release), if you can find it. 

So, if you like this Ardbog bottling, or just have to have it, get it now! It's currently on special HERE at SM Whisky Australia, for around the same as the release price, and with free shipping as well. 

Laphroaig Triple Wood Whisky Review

My first review of one of the 'heavy hitters' of Islay, Laphroaig's Triple Wood is a relatively mild bottling from this distillery, known for it's heavy peat and love/hate medicinal / iodine notes. Non-age-statement, but rumoured to be the same age as the Quarter cask expression (approx. 8 years)

Laphroaig also have a 'friends of Laphroaig' program which is an excellent bonus, with your bottle purchase you receive the opportunity to claim a lifetime lease on one square foot of land on Islay, and when you visit the distillery you may collect your rent, a dram of Laphroaig! They also give you a nice certificate of ownership to hang on the wall.

Laphroaig Triple Wood, 48%, No Age Statement, Islay.
Un-chill-filtered, some colouring added (likely just for consistency between batches), aged in bourbon casks, then quarter casks (smaller casks, giving more wood contact), finished in Oloroso sherry casks.

(tasted neat)
Colour: Light gold

Texture: Surprisingly light and clean, average legs.

Nose: Salty sea air, sweet wood smoke & oak, light smoke, medicinal, slight iodine, musty / dusty note, like an old leather bound book.

Palate: Smoke, light medicinal/iodine (much less than 10yo), smooth with mild salted caramel, musty / dusty note from the nose, nutty oaky sweetness fades early leaving smoke and peat behind.

Finish: Surprisingly short and clean, drying peat, sea spray, slight oaky vanilla.

Score: 3 out of 5.

Comments: Honestly my least favourite Laphroaig bottling (up until recently, see below!), the sherry finish seems to take away from the experience rather than add to it. Still a decent drop and identifiable as Laphroaig, but loses the complexity and depth of the quarter cask (surprising since it shares the same ageing with an extra step), and the punch of the aggressive 10yo. In my opinion, not worth the extra cost over the quarter cask, which is the pick of the bunch, short of the fantastic PX cask, and wonderful but expensive 18yo.

On to a slightly sour note, as I am one of the Friends of Laphroaig, I received a marketing email recently from the distillery unveiling their new release, 'Select Cask' (possibly called 'Select' in other countries). It started off well, with a new ageing technique including white oak, and the email exclaimed they have not added any colouring as the friends requested, but then it is all ruined.

It is bottled at only 40% ABV! What a shame, I cannot understand why they would water this down lower than all their other expressions. Hardly a 'craft presentation', maybe they're trying to get to the non-peat-head customers? Having tried this at a recent whisky festival, I was truly disappointed with how thin & weak the mouth feel was, losing practically all of it's texture and punch, I imagine with any extra water it would not hold up at all. This might have been a winner at 48% in line with most of their bottlings, and it's priced above the standard 10yo expression, which is also bottled at 40%, but with no age statement. Won't be buying this one I'm afraid.

Click HERE for Laphroaig Triple wood at SM Whisky Australia, at a great price, and with free shipping!

-Coming next week is my review of Ardbeg Ardbog, last year's Ardbeg Day release, in time for Ardbeg Day on the 31st!-

Bunnahabhain Toiteach Whisky Review

So, from a non-peated 22yo Bruichladdich in the last review, to a non-age-statement (not a popular thing in the whisky community, but not such a big deal to me, depending on the asking price of course) nicely peated whisky from Bunnahabhain.

Located on the north eastern coast of Islay, just north of Caol Ila distillery, Bunnahabhain is not widely known for it's peated expressions (the standard bottlings are unpeated) but it should be, in my opinion.

Bunnahabhain Toiteach, No Age Statement, 46%, Islay.

Un-chill-filtered, no added colourings. The label states "what if a touch of smoke was added in the distillation process", but I'll tell you now there is more than a touch there! 'Toiteach' is Scots Gaelic for 'smoky', after all. Apparently finished in Manzanilla sherry (dry, slightly salty) casks, but this is not stated on the bottle or the distillery's website. 

(tasted neat)

Colour: Light golden (not an indicator of anything, other than they obviously have not added colour!)

Texture: Oily despite being down from cask strength, excellent legs. Suggests excellent quality casks and spirit, and possibly good ageing, despite there being no age statement.

Nose: Slight smoke, some pale straw / dry grass, sweet lemon rind, white wine & green apple once opened up. No heat on the nose, good quality stuff. 

Palate: The star of the show in this whisky. Lots of beautiful, delicious, deep smoke. Some subtle dry sherry notes, but not sweet and well-balanced by the smoke and dry-ish peat. Also some over-cooked caramel (not overly sweet, but not bitter either), and the straw and crisp green apple from the nose. Amazingly smooth at an assumed young age, there is no burn whatsoever, even neat and at room temperature. The delicious deep smoke brings the taste buds to life, plenty of it too, and it's utterly delicious!

Finish: Long, smoky but clean, a hint of ash, and a slight rubbery/soapy note on the end, but not in a bad way. Some more straw and crisp green apple right at the end, plus a final puff of that gorgeous smoke. 

Comments: Awesome stuff, and did I mention the smoke? Not over-powering but well-balanced, and the whisky is so smooth and light on the tongue. Amazing depth of flavour and not overwhelming. In fact at cask strength it might have lost some of that flavour and balance. Also works well with some quality milk chocolate, believe it or not. 

Score: 4 out of 5. 

Very impressed with this one, it easily holds it's weight compared to Ardbeg & Laphroaig 10 year old, but is a different breed, lighter and less medicinal than laphroaig, less sweet than Ardbeg, but more (yes, more!) smoky. One of my go-to peated whiskies, not commonly seen on the shelves but worth the hunting! This is where I found it , at SM Whisky Australia, and at a decent price too. 

I would love to try Bunna's Cruach Mhona ('peat stack' in gaelic) as well, see here for that one , it's on my wish list! Slainte!

Bruichladdich Black Art 3 Whisky Review - My First!

An odd choice for my first review, I know, given the name of my blog, but it's what I'm drinking at the moment, and it is an excellent dram with not too many reviews out there. Also I'm going to trial an out-of-5 scoring system, rather than the usual 100 points.

It certainly is mysterious like it's name implies, it seems to change shape a little each time I try it! There seems to be some variation in the bottlings as well, perhaps different batches? Some have a more reddish tinge and more spicy christmas cake flavours, others, like mine, are more dark copper with more fruit and pepper notes. Both are totally unique and are a departure from the norm, which knowing Bruichladdich and Mr. McEwan was definitely by design! And it worked, I think.

Bruichladdich Black Art 3, 1989, 22 years old, 48.7% cask strength, Islay. 

Non-peated, aged in American Bourbon casks, then aged & finished in a mystery number of mystery casks (definitely some fortified or dessert wine in there though), named according to the 'black art' of the whisky distiller/blender. Jim McEwan's (Bruichladdich head distiller, pictured below) ode to his craft & profession. 

(tasted neat)

Colour: Deep, solid copper. (note some bottlings seem to be more red amber)

Texture: Medium oily, viscous, very slow movement in the glass, lovely long legs.

Nose: Big, Ripe, juicy tropical fruit. Pear, guava, paw paw/papaya, some candied berries, some oak, pepper spice, slightly burnt toffee sweetness. Intriguing, you could nose this whisky for an hour. 

Palate: Juicy tropical fruit like the nose, initial berry & fruit sweetness, then pepper, some wine/tea tannins, some fortified or dessert wine, but much less than when I last tasted it. Might be starting to oxygenate in the bottle. No trace of sherry unlike most un-peated Bruichladdich's. Very smooth with little alcohol heat. (note the redder-hued bottlings have more christmas cake & spice, less pepper and fruit)

Finish: Fruit fades, a trace of berry sweetness, toffee syrup, then drying, wood spice, medium to long finish. 

Comments: Definitely in my top 5 un-peated whiskies, truly intriguing stuff. So different from most others, not even readily identifiable as Bruichladdich. Each time I taste this it is like I'm seeing (but tasting...) it from another angle, with different notes becoming more or less prominent. Becoming harder to find, and expensive, but worth it for a whisky of this quality, and age. Definitely worth getting your hands on. 

Score: 3.5 out of 5. 

I would love to try it with a little peat Jim, how about finishing in an ex-Port Charlotte cask for a few months next time? You know you want to!

-Score revised and lowered half of a point/star, after tasting (again) the other, redder batch the other day, that is the one to go for, if you can check the bottle before buying! The christmas cake & spices add an extra dimension which makes it even better. The redder version gets the 4 star score from me. 

How to enjoy whisky - my tips

There are plenty of sites with a 'how to drink whisky' page or video, so I thought I would go in a different direction. I will give my recommendations for a few 'criteria', but at the end of the day, how YOU enjoy drinking whisky is how YOU should drink whisky. I will also make note of how following these criteria can enhance your whisky experience.

Whether you have it straight, with water, or even with soda water (using any other mixer is, in my opinion, a waste of good whisky), whether you have it on the rocks (with ice), in a chilled tumbler or in a room temperature 'tulip' shaped whisky glass is all up to you. The main thing is to experiment and see what gives the best results and most enjoyment, for you.

Storing your whisky

Your average shelf, cupboard or cabinet is fine of course, but it should be away from direct sunlight, and preferably in a cooler area of the room or a cooler room of the house (the side of your house which gets the least sunlight, for example). And keep it secure if you're concerned about children/room mates/visitors getting in there when they shouldn't. 

Glassware

The ideal glass, if you are going to be nosing your whisky and spending some quality time with it, is a tulip-shaped whisky glass, such as the Glencairn pictured below, which was specifically designed for whisky drinking. Otherwise a wine glass or even a tumbler will do fine, but they will let more of the aromas escape than a Glencairn or similar glass. For me it helps that the Glencairn glasses are genuine Scottish crystal as well, both for an uninterrupted view of the contents, and because it adds to the romance of the occasion! 

The idea(s) of the tulip shape is to funnel the aromas towards the opening and channel them into the nose, and also the 'bulb' at the bottom allows a good swirling without fear of spilling any precious whisky. They also slow the oxygenation of the liquid by allowing less air in than a traditional glass or tumbler. Also the heavy, solid base makes them very stable, and less likely to shatter (apparently, I haven't tested this bit!).

  

As you may be able to see from the images above, the genuine Glencairn glasses also have an etched 'The Glencairn Glass' branding on the base, so you can pick an imitation from the real deal. Have a look here for the real thing. 

You can also, if so inclined, get a glass lid for these glasses as well, however a glass coaster or small plate would be just as good. The idea here is that the aromas and vapours are trapped in the glass, and no extra air can get in, slowing the oxygenation of the whisky, and allowing the full nose of the whisky to be as unaffected as possible while in the glass. You only remove the lid when ready to nose and/or sip, then replace the lid immediately. 

Environment

This is a tough one, and really if we're honest, as long as you follow the basics, you can't go wrong. Essentially we should try and be isolated from other smells and aromas, particularly strong ones like cooking smells, perfumes, deodorants, cigarettes etc. to avoid those smells contaminating the aromas in our whisky.

However there are some aromas which can enhance your experience, such as (particularly antique) leather, mild cigar smoke, or a wood fire (from a distance), can boost certain aromas in the whisky, whether this is a good thing or not is up to yourselves. Aside from this, if you're doing a serious tasting, try and limit distractions, to allow you to concentrate on your individual senses. Music can help set the mood as well, and watching Braveheart, Rob Roy, or James Bond (preferably Connery, or Craig) on dvd or bluray can have the same effect! Kilt and/or longsword optional.

This is all well and good, but the main things are to make yourself comfortable, relax, and take your time! If you rush through a good whisky you are essentially wasting it, in my opinion. 

Ice, or water, or neat, or soda water, or what?

This is an interesting one, and probably one of the more controversial issues. Personally, I would suggest, to get the most from your whisky experience, first try it neat (no ice or water etc.), if it is too hot (alcohol burn/vapour) then add a small amount of water, using a teaspoon or a straw to carefully regulate the amount you are adding, as once your whisky is over-watered or drowned, every part of the experience is essentially lost. Too much water will hide the aromas, ruin the mouth feel and nearly cancel the finish of the whisky.

Too much ice above. Other than closing off the flavours and aromas as the ice chills the whisky, and once it has melted you are left with mostly water!

With a little water added, and at ambient temperature, if your whisky is un-chill-filtered (more on that later), you will get some 'scotch mist' where the natural particles left in the spirit react with the water, giving a slightly cloudy appearance. This is perfectly natural, and is an indicator of a well-made whisky. 

Adding the right amount of water (to taste) will usually also enhance certain flavours and aromas in the whisky, and reduce others. As an experiment try pouring two same-sized drams of the same whisky, add a small amount of water to one, allow them both to rest, then taste alongside one another. There will be a slight difference, and this is also a good way to train your palate to pick out aromas in the whisky. 

In hot environments (such as Australia!) it does become difficult to drink high ABV% spirits at ambient temperature, so I do often add a small piece of ice (around the size of a small coin, like a quarter or a 5c piece for example) to bring the temperature down slightly, which when melted has the same effect as a very small drop of water. It also looks awesome as the ice melts through the whisky! As an alternative, to really chill the whisky (not recommended, as it 'closes' the whisky, hiding the flavours and aromas), use a large, round ice cube like these below, which will melt more slowly than a traditional ice cube.

If you are drinking a cheaper whisky, such as a low-end blended whisky, adding a moderate amount of soda water makes for a refreshing drink, without nearly cancelling out the flavour of the whisky completely like cola or lemonade does. The only sweetness you get here comes from the whisky, not the mixer. Personally I am partial to a Jameson (Irish blended whisky) and soda water, particularly when 'out on the town' where drinking the good stuff can get very expensive, if the bars/pubs even have any. 

So, there we have some of my recommendations for drinking, and enjoying whisky. As I said above though, the main thing is that you enjoy it. Relax, take your time, savour the moment, and enjoy your whisky! I'll leave you with these inspirational words from Mr. Ron Burgundy...

Check back for my first whisky review, coming soon!

Bunnahabhain Distillery Profile

Although considerably less well-known than Ardbeg, Bunnahabhain distillery is, in my opinion, one of the least appreciated Islay whiskies. They produce excellent whisky, which is uniquely different from the other distilleries on the island. They primarily produce (almost) unpeated whisky in their core range, but there have been a couple of peated expressions (such as 'toiteach' and 'cruach mhona'). The Toiteach in particular is one of my favourite Islay whiskies, nicely peated but also well balanced, and uniquely different from it's competitors. Bunnahabhain whisky is also a primary ingredient of Black Bottle blended whisky. But more to come on those points at a later date.

Distillery Location: North Eastern coast, Islay, Scotland

Owner: Highland Distillers

Producing since: 1881

General Whisky Style: Unpeated, maritime/coastal flavours, un-chill-filtered, no added colouring.

I for one would like to see Bunnahabhain distillery gain some more popularity, and would truly love to see more peated expressions of 'Bunna' on the shelves!

See here for some of Bunnahabhain's bottlings.

-Thanks to WhiskyRob for the image-

What is this peat stuff anyway?

So what is peat?

In simple terms, peat is basically thousands of years worth of  accumulated dead or dying plant life. In a wetland-type environment, the water saturation on the surface (lack of oxygen) slows the decay of decomposing plant matter, causing it to accumulate and (over a very long time) form peat bogs. In fact, the majority of the wetland areas in the world are peat bogs. Peat itself resembles a mud brick, but is spongy and damp, and has no distinctive smell in its natural damp state, and even less when fully dried.

More importantly for us though, dried peat can be used as a fuel, and was a major source of fuel (and therefore heat) in many areas of the world, before being gradually replaced by coal. This means peat was used for fires, and those fires were sometimes being used to dry the malted barley that was to become whisky. When dried peat is burned, the smoke gives off a uniquely smoky, vegetal, pungent aroma that permeates the drying malted barley, and these aromas and flavours are then present in the finished whisky. Peated perfection!

So, peat is so awesome because it gives our whisky the smoky, earthy, vegetal flavours many people love. Some don't, but in my opinion they're missing out! While these flavours can be surprising if they're not expected, particularly if one's Scotch whisky experience is limited to (for example) Johnnie Walker & coke, the amazing depth they add to a suitable whisky should be reason enough to try one. Most people prefer their spirits to be sweet and very easy drinking, but if you add some peat smoke to balance out that sweetness, the effect is often truly awesome. 

There are many different levels of 'peaty-ness' used in the whisky world, and those levels are usually determined by how long the malted barley is dried using peat smoke, and/or the portion of the malted barley used that was dried using peat smoke. For example, Springbank Distillery in Campbelltown, Scotland, produces three different whiskies on-site: the standard Springbank, which is lightly peated, Longrow, which is heavily peated, and Hazelburn, which is un-peated. For the Springbank whisky, the still-damp malted barley is dried using peat smoke for a relatively short amount of time, around 12 hours, and the drying process is finished with hot air. For the Longrow whisky, the malted barley used is dried using peat smoke for over 48 hours. And for the Hazelburn whisky, no peated barley is used at all, the barley is fully dried over hot air. 

The level of influence can sometimes be quantified by looking for a 'ppm' level, which is the phenolic content (peat smoke is a phenolic compound) measured by chromatography as parts per million in the malted barley. Some distilleries utilise these measurements as a marketing tool as well, Bruichladdich for example is not shy when telling you their 'Port Charlotte' range is peated to 40 ppm, and their 'Octomore' range is much higher, up to 309 ppm so far. To my knowledge, this is the highest in the world. However, this ppm measurement is not always a good indicator of the finished product, as it is measured before the milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling and ageing process takes place. The finished product is also heavily influenced by the shape and size of the stills and condensers, and the fill-levels and cut-points used during distillation, and the casks used for maturation, and a myriad of other factors. And peaty flavours also diminish naturally over time during maturation. This is why many heavily peated whiskies are bottled and sold at a relatively young age, for example the Bruichladdich Octomore range is generally aged for only 5 years, retaining its maximum peaty-ness. As a general rule of thumb, a peated whisky will lose around 60% of it's phenolic compounds before it is bottled. So, if you're looking for a heavily peated whisky, do not take the age statement as the main factor in your purchasing decision, in fact be wary of an older (around 18 years or older) whisky that is heavily peated if that's your main criteria, as you may not get what you wished for.

Another factor to consider is that there are a few different methods of coming up with that ppm figure. The most common is high-performance liquid chromatography, or HPLC, but the different methods will give different results. Yet another factor is where the peat itself was sourced. Island and coastal peat is completely different to that found in the central highlands of Scotland, and one area's peat can be completely different from the next, depending on the local conditions and the vegetation that has contributed to that particular peat bog. For example Islay peat is mostly sphagnum mosses and grasses, and is salt-washed and weather-beaten, to different degrees depending on where the bog is, while Orkney peat is mostly heather and is lighter, more floral and more smoky rather than the heavily phenolic flavours given by Islay peat. That also goes for peat in other parts of the world, depending on its composition. Delving deeper into that (pun intended), the depth that you choose to cut your peat from can also make a big difference. For example Laphroaig make a point of cutting their peat from lower down in the bog for their floor-malted barley, which is said to make a significant difference to the finished product, even when that floor-malted barley only makes up 15-20% of the distillery's annual barley requirements.

And lastly, don't assume that you favourite peated whisky is made with local peat. Much mention is made of distilleries using local barley and local water, but their peat source is often left unmentioned. Port Ellen Maltings for example uses Islay peat wherever possible (depending on weather conditions etc.), while Bruichladdich's Port Charlotte & Octomore peated whiskies use peat sourced from the Inverness-shire region, since the barley is malted at Bairds Maltings in Inverness. And that also applies to the Islay Barley variants of both labels.

So to sum up, there's a lot more to peat than you might think. And when it comes to that ppm number, all may not be as it seems! The only real test, of course, is in the nosing and tasting!

Ardbeg Distillery Profile

So, I've chosen Ardbeg distillery for my first distillery profile, for two reasons. One, because it starts with 'A', which seems logical, and two, because it is one of my favourites. 

Distillery Location: South Coast, Islay, Scotland

Owner: LVMH

Producing since: 1815 (commercially)

General Whisky Style: Heavily peated, un-chill-filtered, 46% abv.

As you can see from the map, Islay is well-endowed with whisky distilleries, yet they all manage to be distinctly different, even those right next to each other are easily distinguished by the whisky enthusiast. Ardbeg is a very popular one, with the 'Ardbeg Committee' membership program, and an annual 'Ardbeg Day' in May each year, supported by events worldwide, and the release of a special bottling, usually with a different distilling or ageing technique to the 'standard' offerings. While Ardbeg generally produces a heavily peated whisky, there is usually a vanilla sweetness complimenting the peat and smoke, which is delightful.

See here for some of Ardbeg's bottlings

-Thanks to wikipedia for the images-

What's on my shelves (in my 'working whisky collection')

Well, let me start by saying that yes, I do have a whisky collection, but it is more of a 'working whisky' collection, as I like to call it. Those bottles which are not open, are essentially being saved for a special - or sometimes VERY special - occasion. I do not consider myself a collector in the anal-retentive sense, where I have hundreds of bottles squirrelled away just for the sake of owning them, never to be opened or even looked at, and probably forgotten aside from appearing on a spreadsheet. Then again, is this page on the blog any different!?!

So, here's what I have at the moment, listed by region, with a map for quick reference:

Scotch Whisky, Single Malt:

Islay

Ardbeg 10yo
Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist 1990-2008
Ardbeg Still Young
Ardbeg Almost There
Ardbeg Renaissance "We've Arrived"

Ardbeg Supernova 2009 "Stellar Release"

Ardbeg Uigeadail

Ardbeg Corryvreckan
Ardbeg Day (2012)
Ardbeg Ardbog
Ardbeg Kelpie (committee release)
Ardbeg Scorch (committee release)

Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19yo Batch 1
Ardbeg Elements of Islay Ar10

Ardbeg 8-year old "For Discussion"

Bowmore Devil's Cask, batch 2
Bowmore Tempest, batch 5

Bowmore Feis Ile 2019 15yo bourbon
Bowmore Elements of Islay, Bw7

Bowmore Elements of Islay, Bw8

Bowmore SMWS 3.309, 13yo refill bourbon "Peat Smoke, Pipe Ash and Pata Negra"

Bruichladdich 1984 Vintage, bottled 2002, 46%

Bruichladdich 1990/27, 27yo Haut Brion finish. 

Bruichladdich Australian Exclusive Single Cask, Syrah, Micro-Provenance 10yo.

Bruichladdich UK Exclusive Single Cask, Sauternes, Micro-Provenance 12yo. 

Bruichladdich UK Exclusive Single Cask, Second Fill Sauternes, Micro-Provenance 10yo. 

Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2008 Islay grown
Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2010 Orkney grown

Bruichladdich Black Art 7.1, 25yo

Bruichladdich Feis Ile 2021 "Laddie Origins"
Bruichladdich Laddie Classic 200ml
Bruichladdich Laddie 8 200ml
Bruichladdich Laddie 10 200ml
Bruichladdich Laddie 10 Second Edition

Bruichladdich Infinity batch 1, 55.5%

Bruichladdich Octomore 2.2 Orpheus

Bruichladdich Octomore 5.1
Bruichladdich Octomore 6.1
Bruichladdich Octomore 6.2
Bruichladdich Octomore 6.3
Bruichladdich Octomore 7.1
Bruichladdich Octomore 7.2
Bruichladdich Octomore 7.3
Bruichladdich Octomore 7.4

Bruichladdich Octomore 10yo, 2nd Edition
Bruichladdich Octomore 8.1
Bruichladdich Octomore 8.2
Bruichladdich Octomore 8.3
Bruichladdich Octomore 8.4
Bruichladdich Octomore 9.3

Bruichladdich Octomore 10yo, Dialogos (3rd Edition)
Bruichladdich Octomore 10.2
Bruichladdich Octomore 10.3
Bruichladdich Octomore 10.4
Bruichladdich Octomore OBA

Bruichladdich Octomore Futures 258ppm

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte CC01 2007

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2012

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte MRC01

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte OLC01
Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC5
Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC6

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC7
Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC8
Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC9
Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC10
Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC11
Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC12

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Valinch 06, 10yo grenache blanc cask

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Valinch 10, 12yo bourbon cask. 

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Valinch SHC01

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Valinch BC01

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Valinch BC06

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Valinch BR01

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Valinch Prediction 2002-2012

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Valinch SC01

Bruichladdich Valinch, Syrah cask Roddy MacEachern

Bruichladdich Valinch, 12yo bourbon cask Colin Tocher

Bruichladdich Valinch, 17yo bourbon cask Simon Coughlin

Bunnahabhain 2008 Moine Bordeaux Cask

Bunnahabhain Feis Ile 2020 17yo Madeira finish

Bunnahabhain 12 Cask Strength 2022 Edition

Caol Ila Distillers Edition, 1993

Caol Ila Distillers Edition, 2001
Caol Ila Distillery Exclusive, 2017

Caol Ila Feis Ile 15yo 2013
Caol Ila Feis Ile 10yo 2018

Caol Ila Feis Ile 16yo 2020
Caol Ila Hermitage Finish 2004 Gordon & MacPhail CC 45%

Caol Ila Ci7, Elements of Islay, 58.5%.
Caol Ila 9yo refill sherry cask, Signatory Cask Strength. 

Caol Ila 9yo first fill sherry finish, Signatory for The Whisky Exchange

Caol Ila 1984 Gordon & MacPhail 15yo cask strength

Elements of Islay 'Sherry Cask' blended malt 54.5% (Laphroaig & Caol Ila)

Kilchoman Spirit 'Two Years'
Kilchoman Inaugural Release
Kilchoman 2008 vintage

Kilchoman Club 4th release, Sauternes cask.

Kilchoman Club 5th release, 10-year old. 

Kilchoman Club 6th release, 10-year old.

Kilchoman Club 7th release, 12yo.

Kilchoman Fino Cask Matured.
Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2014
Kilchoman Machir Bay 2014

Kilchoman Machir Bay Cask Strength 2020

Kilchoman Port Cask 2014

Kilchoman Sanaig
Kilchoman Single Cask #559/2011, Oloroso cask, 58.2%
Kilchoman Single Cask #691/2011, PX finish AUS exclusive, 57.5%.
Kilchoman Single Cask, Rum finish AUS exclusive, 56.2%

Kilchoman Single Cask, Calvados finish AUS exclusive, 56.4%

Kilchoman Single Cask, Mezcal finish AWAS exclusive, 54.0%

Kilchoman Single Cask, Sauternes finish AWAS exclusive, 55.4%.

Kilchoman Single Cask, 11yo ex-bourbon for Artisan. 

Kilchoman Single Cask, STR cask finish 2020.

Kilchoman Single Cask, Madeira finish 2020. 

Kilchoman Single Cask, Sauternes matured 2022, Kilchoman Appreciation Society. 

Kilchoman Single Cask, Sauternes finished 8yo, AWAS Exclusive

Kilchoman Single Cask, Mezcal finished 7yo, AWAS Exclusive
Kilchoman STR cask matured 2019.
Kilchoman Distillery shop exclusive single cask, Rum cask finish, 2017.
Kilchoman Distillery shop exclusive single cask, 10 year old, 2018.
Kilchoman Distillery shop exclusive single cask, Madeira cask finish, 2019.

Kilchoman Distillery shop exclusive vatting, 100% Islay ex-bourbon. 

Kilchoman Feis Ile 2014 Fino finish.

Kilchoman Feis Ile 2019 11yo

Kilchoman Feis Ile 2021 100% Islay

Lagavulin 8yo

Lagavulin 16yo
Lagavulin 12yo 2004
Lagavulin 12yo 2011
Lagavulin 12yo 2012
Lagavulin 12yo 2013
Lagavulin 12yo 2014
Lagavulin 12yo 2015
Lagavulin 12yo 2016
Lagavulin 12yo 2017
Lagavulin 12yo 2018
Lagavulin 12yo 2019

Lagavulin 12yo 2020

Lagavulin 12yo 2021

Lagavulin Distillers Edition 1995 (distilled)
Lagavulin Distillers Edition 2013 (bottled)
Lagavulin Feis Ile 2017
Lagavulin Feis Ile 2018

Lagavulin Feis Ile 2019

Lagavulin Jazz Festival 2015

Lagavulin Jazz Festival 2016
Lagavulin Jazz Festival 2017
Lagavulin Jazz Festival 2018

Lagavulin "House Lannister" 9yo

Laphroaig An Cuan Mor
Laphroaig Elements of Islay Lp9, 20yo PX single cask.

Laphroaig Elements of Islay Lp11, 15yo bourbon barrels. 

Laphroaig Quarter Cask
Laphroaig Triple Wood

Laphroaig PX Cask

Laphroaig Cairdeas 2009 12yr old
Laphroaig Cairdeas 2013 Port
Laphroaig Cairdeas 2014 Amontillado
Laphroaig Cairdeas 2015 200th Anniversary
Laphroaig Cairdeas 2016 Madeira
Laphroaig Cairdeas 2017 Quarter Cask CS
Laphroaig Cairdeas 2018 Fino
Laphroaig Cairdeas 2019 Triple Wood CS

Laphroaig Cairdeas 2021 PX CS

Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength, "red stripe" 55.7%

Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength, batch 1
Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength, batch 5
Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength, batch 6
Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength, batch 7
Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength, batch 8
Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength, batch 9
Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength, batch 10

Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength, batch 14

Port Askaig 10th Anniversary 10 year old
Port Askaig 100 proof (7yo Caol Ila)
Port Askaig 19yo cask strength

Port Ellen 1983 27-year old, 49.4% ref. sherry (Duncan Taylor)

Secret Islay 8yo refill sherry cask For Hasegawa

Single Malts of Scotland 30-year old Islay, 47.5%. 

Islands

Ledaig 10yo
Ledaig 18yo
Ledaig 10yo sherry cask (Signatory Cask Strength)
Ledaig 12yo CS sherry cask (The Whisky Exchange)

Ledaig 11yo Port Pipe Matured (Distillery Exclusive)

Ledaig 12yo Amarone Finish

Talisker 8 Year Old cask strength 2018 (bourbon)

Talisker 8 Year Old cask strength 2020 (rum finish)

Talisker 10

Talisker 11yo cask strength 2022
Talisker 15 Year Old cask strength
Talisker 18yo
Talisker 57 North

Tobermory 15yo

Tobermory 17yo Madeira finish

Torabhaig Allt Gleann

Campbeltown
Glen Scotia 15yo
Glen Scotia Double Cask

Glen Scotia Cadenhead's 15yo Sherry Cask Matured

Hazelburn 10yo Refill Sauternes Springbank Society

Hazelburn 11yo Recharred Bourbon Springbank Society

Hazelburn 14yo Oloroso 2019
Kilkerran 12yo+
Kilkerran 8yo Cask Strength Bourbon 2018
Kilkerran 8yo Cask Strength Sherry 2019

Kilkerran 8yo Cask Strength Sherry 2021

KIlkerran 8yo Cask Strength Sherry 2022

Kilkerran 8yo Cask Strength Port 2022

Kilkerran 8yo Cask Strength Bourbon 2023

Kilkerran 8yo Cask Strength Sherry 2023

Kilkerran Heavily Peated batch 1
Kilkerran Heavily Peated batch 2

Kilkerran Heavily Peated batch 3

Kilkerran Heavily Peated batch 4

KIlkerran Heavily Peated batch 5

Kilkerran Heavily Peated batch 6

Kilkerran Heavily Peated batch 7

Kilkerran Open Day 2022 16yo Rum Cask Matured

Kilkerran 16yo 2020

Longrow NAS

Longrow 'Red' 11yo Port cask
Longrow 'Red' 11yo Pinot Noir finish

Longrow 'Red' 11yo Tawny port finish 

Longrow 14yo Sherry cask

Longrow Society 11yo 2019

Longrow Cadenheads 17yo Rum cask

Longrow Cage 8yo refill bourbon

Longrow Cage 8yo refill rum

Springbank Cage 10yo first fill sherry cask
Springbank Cage 14yo refill rum cask

Springbank 9yo Local Barley cask strength

Springbank 10yo Local Barley cask strength
Springbank 10yo Local Barley cask strength (2019)
Springbank 11yo Local Barley cask strength (2017-2018)

Springbank 11yo Local Barley cask strength (2022)
Springbank 16yo Local Barley cask strength
Springbank 12yo Cask Strength, batch 9
Springbank 12yo Cask Strength, batch 14
Springbank 12yo Cask Strength, batch 15
Springbank 12yo Cask Strength, batch 16
Springbank 12yo Cask Strength, batch 17
Springbank 12yo Cask Strength, batch 18

Springbank 12yo Cask Strength, batch 19

Springbank 12yo Cask Strength, batch 20

Springbank 12yo Cask Strength, batch 22

Other Mainland
Aberlour A'Bunadh, batch 52
Ardmore 20 Year Old 49.3%

Ardnamurchan 01.21:01 

Benriach 10yo 'Curiositas'
Benrinnes 21 year old Cask Strength, 56.9%.

Benrinnes 23yo 1996, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength 
Benromach 10yo 100 proof
Benromach Peat Smoke Sherry cask, 59.9%

Clynelish 10-year old, Single Malts of Scotland 59.1% Australian exclusive

Cragganmore Special Release (peated) 2019
Deanston 12yo

Glendronach 12yo 'The Original'
Glendronach 15yo 'Revival'
Glendronach 18yo 'Allardice'
Glendronach 21yo 'Parliament'
Glendronach Cask Strength, batch 3
Glendronach Cask Strength, batch 4
Glendronach Cask Strength, batch 5
Glendronach Hand-filled, Single Cask #1446, PX matured.
Glendronach Single Cask #5524, 11yo PX finish.
Glendronach Single Cask #1451, 12yo PX matured.
Glendronach Single Cask #98, 18yo Oloroso matured.

Glendronach Single Cask #8558, 12yo PX matured. 

Glenfiddich 125th Anniversary (peated)
Glenlivet Nadurra 16yo cask strength, 2006 bottling
Glenmorangie Allta, 51.2%
Glen Garioch 15yo Sherry Cask Cask Strength

Linkwood 1994 26yo single refill sherry butt, Gordon & MacPhail

Mortlach 15yo, 46%, Gordon & MacPhail

Mortlach Cadenheads 13yo cask strength Sherry Finish

Mortlach Signatory 11yo cask strength Sherry Finish

Mortlach Signatory 10yo cask strength Sherry Finish for LMDW

Oban 12yo Cask Strength 2021

Rosebank 22yo, SMWS 25.64 "Manzanilla Sherry Trifle"

Speyside 30yo single cask, Glenlivet? Thompson Bros. 

Tamdhu 15yo 46%

Other parts of the world:

Nikka Yoichi "Sherry & Sweet", 55%, Japan

Nikka Yoichi "Peaty & Salty", 55%, Japan

Redbreast 12 Cask Strength 56.3%, Ireland

Waterford Hook Head 1.1, Ireland

Waterford Peated Fenniscourt, Ireland

Australia
Bakery Hill Peated Cask Strength, Australia

Belgrove Rye 'Smoke 'n' Barrel', Australia
Belgrove Rye 'Ex-Heartwood Release the Beast', Australia

Fleurieu "Fountain of Youth", Australia
Heartwood Beagle 3, Australia
Heartwood Chaos & Intrigue, Australia
Heartwood Dare to be Different, Australia
Heartwood Dregs, Australia
Heartwood Epiphany at the Lakes, Australia
Heartwood Mediocrity Be Damned, Australia
Heartwood The Revelation, Australia
Heartwood We Are Cousins, Australia

Heartwood Shade of Night, Australia
Heartwood Shot in the Dark, Australia
Heartwood The Beast is Back, Australia

Heartwood Age of Decadence, Australia

Heartwood A Serious Whisky, Australia

Heartwood Dregs 8, Australia

Heartwood Hail Mary, Australia

Heartwood The Best of Times, Australia

Heartwood Art of Darkness Ambiguity

Highwayman Batch #8, Tasmania/Byron Bay, Australia

Highwayman 2.7 200ml hand-fill, Byron Bay, Australia
Iniquity Single Malt batch 14, 200ml, Australia

Starward Tenth Anniversary, Australia

Starward Mesquite smoked malt, Australia

TIB 'The Vatted Malt 5', 50.2%, Australia. 

TIB 'The Peated Vatted Malt 1', 48.2%, Australia. 

Blended Whisky:

Cladach Diageo Coastal Blended Malt, 57.1%
Compass Box No Name 1 Blended Malt
Compass Box Peat Monster Blended Malt

Elements of Islay Peat & Sherry Blended Malt, Australian Exclusive

Welcome to Peated Perfection!

I've listed some FAQ's to help us get acquainted. 

Who are you?

I'm a whisky enthusiast, based in Queensland (QLD), Australia. I'm in my 30's, I'm married (Hi Liz!), and I like long walks on the beach.  

Do you like stuff?
Absolutely! Aside from whisky and cars, I also enjoy the occasional bit of Call of Duty, and I dabble in bass guitar. I do have varied taste in music, mainly of the 'heavier' variety. Favourite bands would be Metallica, Disturbed, Machine Head and System of a Down, but also Powderfinger and Cypress Hill. I also enjoy Ska (google it if you don't know, it's pretty awesome), some Bob Marley, and even little Opera. Yes, really. 

What will you be posting about?

I'll mainly be posting whisky reviews, because it gives me an excuse to drink whisky, and because I enjoy it. I am not a whisky professional, I am not involved in the whisky or beverage industry in any way. Other than a customer and supporter, I suppose. My reviews will be my opinions, and I will try and be unbiased where possible (some times you just love something and see it through rose-tinted glasses!). I will also be posting general whisky articles for discussion, mainly on happenings in the industry, or happenings on the local whisky scene. 

Why should I care?

Good question! Well, the whisky reviews are designed to help you make informed decisions, when you're standing in the bottle shop, or browsing that on-line store, or doing your research beforehand. If you come across a whisky I have reviewed, you will at least have my opinion on what it is like, whether it is worth your money, and whether you might enjoy it. So, my posts may (and I hope they do) save you from a negative whisky experience. The general discussions are there to keep you informed, and sometimes for me to get something off my chest, in which case you hopefully will find them entertaining and/or informative as well. 

But I'm not in Australia :-(

Well, we can't all be perfect can we!?! If my post is 'location-sensitive', I hope it will give you an insight into my local world, from wherever you may be, and it may give you a new perspective on your own. Rest assured that, generally, the whisky I get here is identical to what you can get wherever you are. Pricing is another story, but let's get to that later.

So, that's it at this stage, if you have any other questions, comment below and I'll see if I can come up with something!