ARDBEG 'Guaranteed 8 Years Old' Committee Release 'The Ultimate' Islay Single Malt Whisky Bottle (70cl) 50.8%abv

Description

Ardbeg Guaranteed 8 Year Old is a BIG, youthful and deliberately challenging whisky that was launched to initiate discussion. Younger whiskies have begun to hold their weight in the whisky-market against much older and weightier releases from distilleries across Scotland. The time-old opinion that 'older is better' is well and truly dead, and the Guaranteed 8 Year Old is a staple of this rebellion against older whiskies.

Unmistakably smoky intensity. Charcoal and creosote. Curious hints of fennel and celery mixed with woodsmoke... Ardbeg 8 is guaranteed to provoke discussion.

Tasting Notes by Ardbeg:

Aroma: Intense with a burst of charcoal, creosote, tar and treacle toffee, with curious hints of something vegetal, like fennel, celery and green peppers. Once these subside, there are hints of milk chocolate, aniseed and woodsmoke. With a little drop of water, some more herbal notes appear, like fennel, coriander and lavender, along with some characteristic Ardbeg aromatic woodsmoke and a hint of fresh, salty sea spray. Add water and an oceanic minerality brings a breath of cool, briny seaspray. Waxed lemon and lime follows with coal tar soap, beeswax and herby pine woodlands. Toasted vanilla and sizzling cinnamon simmer with warm hazelnut and almond toffee.

Taste: A distinctively peppery mouthfeel eases into a complex symphony of flavours; treacle toffee, aniseed, salted caramel chocolate, eucalyptus, menthol and briar wood, to name but a few. The ‘tingling’, peppery sensation on the palate continues, with the sweeter flavours giving way to more savoury notes like charcoal, smoked bacon, burnt toast and tar.

Finish: The aftertaste is long and lingering, with a suggestion of peppermint and clove.