New Release: Ardbeg 21 Year Old Official Bottling 46%

A well-balanced Ardbeg with a smooth drinking experience and good aging character. Ardbeq ARDBEG 21yo OB 46% Ex-Bourbon Cask The aroma features lemon cream, vanilla, gentle barley notes, strong smoky straw, sea breeze with faint saltiness, and a cool character. On the palate, it starts smooth but gradually becomes spicy with vanilla and coffee cream-like oiliness, supple texture, pleasant sweetness, good acidity, pronounced saltiness with a metallic touch, and a long peaty finish. [Good/Very Good] This is the new release Ardbeg 21 Year Old Official Bottling. While it retains classic Ardbeg characteristics like cool metallic notes, saltiness, and strong peat smoke, its roundedness from aging and distillation period is notable. The bourbon cask influence clearly shows through with lemon, cream, and vanilla nuances. Upon tasting, I detected a unique creamy nuance reminiscent of Edradour, adding to its distinctiveness. As an Ardbeg, it offers a well-balanced flavor with good aging character. Though cool in profile, its structure is cohesive and approachable. However, I was surprised that Ardbeg released a 21 Year Old at this time given its limited stock. The quality inside is excellent with a special feel, and personally I wished they had released this instead of the bicentennial edition last year. #Ardbeq (ARDBEG)