Whisky: Ardbeg 11 Year (1990), Gordon & MacPhail’s “Spirit of Scotland”

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 48%

Cask: Oak

Age: 11 Year (Distilled 1990, Bottled 2001)

Nose: Maritime, smoke, and antiseptic. The aroma of the harbor as coal dust and choppy surf gave the air an acrid and saline quality. Harbor tires hanging from the wharf— the cushion for ships rocking in the waves as saltwater splashes across wooden planks. A subtle lemon zest hid in the background with cleaning solutions and sandy damp ashtrays.

Palate: Mellow and light with acrid smoke, chalk, and minerals. The light body belied an oily quality to the spirit, which carried notes of an old diner smoking section, linoleum booths, and an old playground tire. Chalkboard and chalk erasures came to mind as an intriguing minerality with graphite settled on the palate. Further in was burnt rice or meat with hints of cola, lime leaves, and betel nut.

Finish: Lingering chalk with a bitter minerality.

Score: 5

Mental Image: Engineering Department Chalkboard c. 1970

Notes: An intriguingly industrial pre-closure Ardbeg, I thought this was not altogether different from the current 10 Year core release. I found this slightly lighter, though oilier, with a similar maritime-antiseptic profile hiding subtle notes of citrus or herbs. This single cask release was a tad more acrid with a bitterness on the back half that lingered onto the finish— I admit the imagery of a wet sandy ashtray was not the more appealing note I have encountered.   

I will note that my friend who shared the bottle absolutely loved it and thought it a great representation of what pre-shutdown Ardbeg could be. While I was ambivalent, he was enthusiastic, so this bottle might be a bit divisive— or I may be slowly realizing that Ardbeg, outside of its fantastic core lineup, is just not my favorite Islay distillery. I usually like weird things, but the ashtray and smell of stale old cigarette nubs are not particularly sweet memories.