I took advantage of our visit to Campbeltown in 2024 to splurge on a few extraordinary drams. This Ardbeg was among the handful that I grabbed at the Tasting Room, the cafe that Cadenhead’s has right across from their shop in Campbeltown.

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Whisky: Ardbeg 29 Year (1993), Cadenhead’s

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 51.5%

Cask: Bourbon Barrel

Age: 29 Years (Distilled 1993, Bottled 2023)

Notes: Coastal and untamed, despite nearly three decades the aroma was heady and sinus clearing with coastal brine and stone fortifications covered in moss opening the portcullis to camphor, mugwort, and all manner of medicinal herbs. Tar and pitch carried on with honeycomb, heather and hay as the aroma turned fleetingly acrid with sweet dry grass and hints of earthy pasture. Medium-bodied with big bright notes of charred citrus rind and medicinal herbs. Currents of maritime brine carried wooden ships with tarry ropes toward clove and tobacco— the wealth of the spice islands and new world stored next to camphor, dried lemon peel, and chests of medicinal herbs. The finish was long with sweet smoke, tar, and sea colliding in a perfect storm.

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Score: 9 (94)

Mental Image: Stormwind Castle Keep

Conclusion: Wow.

Overall, a complex beast that was far more assertive than I expected for the age.  It was punchy with loads of depth on the nose and palate, but also a clarity of flavor that made it easy to sit back with and suddenly find the glass empty. A stellar example of Allied era Ardbeg and how much nuance a long, gentle maturation can bring to the whisky when the stars align.