Whisky : Ardbeg 18 Year; The Whisky Exchange 10th Anniversary

Country/Region : Scotland/Islay

ABV : 55.9%

Cask : Ex-Bourbon(?)

Age : 18 Years

Nose : Citrus and subtle malt come through with lemon molasses bundt cake and a rich coffee dark chocolate tiramisu.  Notes of orange rind, shiso leaf, and dark espresso give the impression of a sambuca digestif.  Chocolate notes turn toward chimney soot, tar, and saltwater in the background, though they never quite dent the overall sweetness on the nose.

Palate : Medium bodied with a nice oiliness and a bit of dryness on the end.  Saltwater washes in driftwood, green peppercorns, and an herbal smoke.  Citrus, licorice, and star anise bring the palate around for another sambuca.  On the back end sits roasty candied espresso beans and charred lemon peel.

Finish :  Lingering licorice, faint ash, and medicinal undertones.

Score : 6

Mental Image : Sharing Sambuca with Nero

Something Similar : Ledaig 13Y SMoS (similar licorice/shiso/maritime, more spice/fruit)

Something Worse : Braeval 8Y SMWS 113.22 (similar anise/licorice, more herbal/tart fruit)

Notes : This was not really the Ardbeg I was expecting, though the more I thought about it, the more it did remind me of a more mature version of the standard 10 Year.  It was as if the awkward grade schooler left for finishing school and returned a mature adult.  This had neither a lot in common with the mild sherried An Oa, nor did it bare much resemblance to the distillery standards Uigeadail and Corryvreckan.

This was quite tasty for my first chance to try an Ardbeg from an independent bottler— or a single cask Ardbeg for that matter.  Opportunities to do so are few and far between, not to mention priced well above my comfort zone.  This was quite tasty and provided a wonderful combination of licorice and char notes, though it was hard not to be thinking about the price of the bottle as I thought about how to score it.  While I scored it within the range of things I would buy, I would not pay the handsome price this commands.  This Ardbeg was a treat to try, but I was not left desperate for more and I think you really need that feeling to grab ahold of you to be willing to track down a bottle like this.