Ardbeg Heavy Vapours 2023 Committee Release Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $160

- 100.4 proof

- NAS

- Islay

Fair warning, this is probably a very biased review.  As of late, Ardbeg has been able to do no wrong in my book.  I have loved release after release from them, and I assure you this Heavy Vapours release is no exception.  Well, perhaps it is a bit of an exception, as explained below.

Nonetheless, this was one of the more expensive committee releases, and that price tag is a lot to ask given there's no age statement. But, again, I'm a sucker for everything Ardbeg, and like a sucker, I ponied up the money to make sure I had the newest committee release at the time.  But, that first pour took away any doubt, what little I may have had.

On the nose I get breakfast pastry with caramel.  It was like a traditional Danish, but rather than top it with fruit or cheese, it was topped with caramel.  And smoked caramel at that! It also had this sweet yeasty or bready note that gave it that pastry quality. The smoke, interestingly, didn't contract but rather complemented all of these notes, making for a smoky, slightly sweet dessert-like note.

The flavor, on the first sip, was amazing. Right up front I got this blend of smoke, salted caramel and dark chocolate that was rich, sweet (but not overly sweet) and absolutely amazing. It also had a strong malt backbone that provided a lightly sweet bready note, or, perhaps even better, a waffle batter note that I absolutely loved.

The smoke was a sweet and salty smoke, somewhat like a campfire smoke with more earthy tones. But that smoke seemed to work perfectly with those caramel and dark chocolate notes, adding an incredible additional layer, kind of like what makes s'mores so good when the marshmallow is roasted over a fire.  In fact, s'mores is not too far off here as far as tasting notes go.

The finish, despite the not-too-high proof, lingered for a long time. This whisky had a viscosity that I don't usually get around 100 proof, and it coated my mouth with a rich smoky salted caramel that I never wanted to go away.

I'm unapologetically an Ardbeg stan, and I've loved every committee release. But, this one stands above all the rest for me. I thought this was an absolutely amazing pour, and is one of my favorite whiskies ever.  I held onto the last pour in my bottle for far too long, only because I didn't want it to go away, and now I may find myself on a mission to track another one down.

Grade: A+

Ardbeg Hypernova 2022 Committee Release Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $190

- 102 Proof

- NAS

- Islay

I'm not gonna lie--I was not happy at all with the price on this bottle. This seemed to be the peak of pricing for the Ardbeg Committee Releases.  While previous releases had been somewhat price, they weren't pushing the $200 range, particularly on a non-age stated whisky.  This seems especially egregious given that the most recent Committee Release came in at a relatively modest $85. 

And yet this bottle still found its way onto this sucker's shelf. I really just can't help myself when it comes to Ardbeg. Time and time again it has proven to be my favorite Islay distillery.  While not every bottle has been an absolute home run, they have released so many bottlings that I have absolutely loved that I just could never quit them!  And when they describe it as their "Possibly the smokiest dram in the world," well, I just had to find out for myself.

And yet, when I popped the cork, my first thought was, "Not nearly as smoky as I expected." The smoke was there on the nose, it just wasn't slap-me-in-the face smoke.  It was balanced out by sweeter notes of bright orange and honey. There was a sweet malty backbone, almost like graham crackers, and even a bit of a honey butter note. All these great notes may have pushed that smoke note back a bit.

On the palate, again that smoke just wasn't the heavy amount of soot or creosote that takes you back. Don't get my wrong, this was still very true to Islay and true to Ardbeg.  That soot note, even a char note, was definitely there.  There was no questioning that this was an Ardbeg.

But, what I've always loved about Ardbeg is their ability to make other notes absolutely shine alongside that heavy peat. Here, those crackery and bready notes along with those bright citrus notes all seemed to really come through and work well with that peat.  I got a sweet wheat bread note, along with citrus notes of lemon and orange. 

There was a grassy or herbal note as well that, at times, reminded me of lemongrass.  And on the bac end I got a spicy black pepper note that again seemed to complement everything else going on.  All of this was sweetened up by a bright honey note, and those smoke, citrus, wheat bread and honey notes all were incredibly well-balanced.  So much so that I wasn't really made that this did not come across as the "smokiest dram" in the world.  In fact, I was glad it wasn't, because it might have thrown off the balance.

Do I think this was a bit overpriced, yes. Do I think this was a fantastic pour and I wish I had more of it? Also yes!!  All in all, this was an absolutely great pour, and I couldn't help but keep dipping back into this bottle until it was gone.

Grade: A-

Ardbeg Fermutation Special Committee Edition 13 Year Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $200

- 98.8 Proof

- 13 Years

- Islay

Ardbeg's committee releases are incredibly consistently good, so much so that I rarely think twice about buying one when I get the chance. This, however, was one of the first that I was eager to get my hands on when I first heard of its release. As it is, Ardbeg puts out some fairly funky stuff, and certainly lands on the higher end of peated Scotches. 

However, this release promised to be one of its funkiest ever.  Ardbeg touted it as their longest fermentation ever, hence the name, "Fermutation." Based on their press releases, this particular bottling was fermented for over three weeks (much more than the few days that are typical) before being distilled. So, whether or not it would be better than other Ardbegs was a complete crap shoot.  But, I was confident that it was certainly going to be different than other Ardbeg releases.

The nose immediately exposed the funkiness of this Scotch. It smelled like a smokey hayride on a damp fall day.  That sounds incredibly pretentious and a bit dramatic, but I did get notes of hay mixed with the peat, and there was a damp, musty wood note to it as well. However, there were also great notes of unsweetened vanilla and even stewed pears. Behind the hayride was a kind of a brandy note that really complemented those smoky notes. 

The flavor mostly followed suit. I got those hay notes, but they were what I described as "pillowy," like a soft and delicious saison beer. Of course, it being Ardbeg, the peat smoke was front and center, but there was a soft yeast note or bready note to it as well. What really stood out, however, was a bright lemongrass note that really kept everything from getting too "heavy."

Other sweeter notes came through as well, including a nice and bright honey note as well as a graham cracker note. There was something nutty up front as well, but I couldn't quite put my thumb on it. It was earthy and somewhat sweet.  And of course that peat smoke carried throughout.

The finish, though, was where I really fell in love with this bottle. All of that funk remained, with lemongrass and hay notes leading the way. But the honey notes kept it sweet.  It was very viscous, and I was finally able to place my thumb on the nutty note, which was kind of like a walnut oil flavor. The peat really hit harder on the finish as well, and it combined with a distinct cooling, almost minty sensation on the finish that was not only completely unexpected but was pretty awesome. 

This was not your typical Ardbeg, that's for sure. While it had the peat, it didn't have those typical brighter, lighter notes that I get behind the peat in other Ardbeg offerings. But, this was a lot of fun, certainly scratched that itch when I was in the mood for something funky, and it had one of the most memorable finishes I can recall.  

Grade: A

Ardbeg Uigeadail Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $80

- 108.4 Proof

- NAS

- 2020

- Islay

I've kept no secret about the fact that I love the mix of peat and wine, particularly when that peated scotch is aged in sherry or port casks. Something about that smoky flavor mixed with the rich berry notes I get from those fortified wines just hits right.

So, it was a must that I try Ardbeg's Uigeadail. Not only is it known for its heavy smoke notes, but also the prominent sherry cask notes. It has a reputation as big and strong and bold, but also as being absolutely delicious. This was one I knew I had to try for myself, even if I had no clue how to pronounce it (and still don't). 

The nose was an absolute smoke bomb on this. The peat absolutely dominated over just about every other note. With some effort, though, I was able to get some other aromas, including a yeasty wheat bread note. There was a certain mustiness or even a mossiness to it, like a damp forest. I also got something bright on the nose, however, like a rich blackberry note.

Of course, the peat smoke was front and center on the flavor.  No question about it, and it was very campfire-like.  However, immediately behind that was a strong and bright raspberry note from the sherry cask. It was such a sharp but inviting contrast to that smoky flavor.

The sherry added more depth than that, though, also providing notes of plum and currant.  Along with that I did get that sort of musty note, but musty night not be the right word. It reminded me of the way the air tastes when the sun comes out after a rain. That sounds very hippie-ish, I know, but that's what I was getting. There was also a touch of salinity to it, as though it was sea air I was tasting.

The finish was phenomenal, giving off this bright and jammy raspberry sweetness that lingered forever. There was also a bit of maltiness to it, giving off a note of sweet crackers with raspberry jam. I absolutely loved it! Of course the peat smoke carried through here as well, though it seemed a bit more subdued by the time it got to the finish.

I think what I loved the most about this was that it wasn't that normal barbecue sauce type flavor I often get with that mix of peat and wine. Rather, it had those two distinct notes of peat and bright raspberry, which each held their own but completed each other incredibly. This is an incredible whisky!

Grade: A