New Release: Ardbeg Official Perpetuum for General Sale

As expected, this Ardbeg had a plain composition emphasizing youthfulness. Ardbeg OB Perpetuum 47.4% The aroma featured fresh citrus, young barley and plant-like notes, strong chlorine and metallic sensations, a dominant smoky peat, raw oysters, alcohol stimulation, slightly new pot still beans and root vegetables, cool and sharp, mixed nuts. Upon drinking, despite its youthful nuances, the stimulation was less intense, resembling watered-down whisky, with fresh citrus, syrup sweetness, citrus acidity, strong chlorine and metal, sharp peat, slightly bitter with some creaminess in the oily finish. [Good] This new release, unveiled at this year's Ardbeg Day, was bottled to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Ardbeg Distillery. Previously, we tasted a version bottled for the committee, but this one is the general sale bottle with a lustrous label. It seems to be designed with future considerations in mind. Compared to the previous committee edition, this one had an even more youthful impression, maintaining its plain overall character. I believe it's a vatting centered around very young casks. In the case of peaty Islay malts, many are drinkable even when young, but perhaps the sharpness and coolness accentuate the alcohol sensation more, making its new pot still character slightly noticeable. However, it also gave an impression of gradually fading over time. As with the committee edition, there's no added flavoring, so the characteristic saltiness and metallic notes, along with the cool nuances typical of Ardbeg, are easily recognizable. Despite feeling somewhat immature, its alcohol content is low at 47.4%, creating an atmosphere akin to watered-down malt, yet it's a peculiar strength resembling cask strength. A significant quantity was released, and if all are the same strength, it must be watered down. That raises questions about why this specific strength was chosen. It's certainly a drinkable malt, and while the concept might be to express its current unadorned form, compared to the official standard, it lacked the exciting special feeling that would make it stand out. Given its limited production quantity and the distillery's downtime, there were also fewer casks available, making it difficult to release a large quantity of something special for the bicentennial celebration. Nevertheless, every year it becomes a little festival, and through intricate labels and events, it delights malt fans. Looking forward to more as the stock of available casks increases in the future. #Ardbeg (ARDBEG)