Islay

Ardbeg Galileo Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
49% ABV
$95
Website

What the Distillery Says:
Ardbeg has always been right up there, having been voted Best Scotch Whisky in the World three times on the bounce. But in October 2011 Ardbeg-crafted molecules went one giant leap further…out of this world and into orbit. On Earth we created Ardbeg Galileo – a celebration of Ardbeg’s first ever experiment in space.

Nose Cone: Spicy toffee, tropical fruits and a puff of soot.
Taste: Salty, yet sweet with cream and a burst of smoking apricots.
Finish: Long, lingering and serene.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Pleasant. It’s a little more floral and herbal than other Ardbegs. There are nice bits of vanilla and fruit playing in the background with the sooty bits.
Palate: The Marsala and bourbon casks used for this give it a nice sweetness that plays with the maltiness and some pleasant fruity notes.
Finish: Chloroseptic throat spray. Yuck!
Comments: Oh my god this finishes bad. Others have said it’s the interplay of peat and fortified wine casks but whatever it is it’s nasty. With this being around $100 at the time of release and well over that now I would definitely try before you buy. You might even want to just avoid it all together.
Rating: Average

Ardbeg Auriverdes Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
49.9% ABV
$100
Website

What the Distillery Says:
Ardbeg Distillery Releases Limited Edition “Auriverdes” – Limited Edition whisky will be released on Ardbeg Day – May 31st 2014

(MARCH 28, 2014) Ardbeg, four-time winner of the World’s Best Scotch Whisky award – is announcing the launch of its 2014 Limited Edition Ardbeg Auriverdes. The new Ardbeg will launch globally on May 31st, as part of “Ardbeg Day”- the distillery’s annual celebration of all things Ardbeg.
“Auriverde” a Portuguese term, is the combination of auri (meaning “golden”) and verde (meaning “green”) – the colors found in the iconic Ardbeg bottle, as well as the Brazilian Flag and a reflection of the “Ardbeg Day” salute to the 2014 World Cup.

Ardbeg Auriverdes has been matured in American oak casks, with specially toasted lids that were tailor-made for this formula. The toasting technique has given the whisky a unique flavour profile, producing a mocha coffee flavour at one end and flowing into creamy vanilla at the other – truly a dram of two halves.

Ardbeg Auriverdes follows the highly acclaimed, Limited Edition Ardbeg Galileo, which scooped the ‘World’s Best Single Malt’ at the World Whisky Awards 2013. Ardbeg Auriverdes is bottled at 49.9% ABV and will be available for U.S. purchase at select embassy liquor stores ($99.99). For an embassy liquor store locater, please visit www.ardbeg.com .

Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Distillation and Whisky Creation, explains:
“When creating Auriverdes, I had a distinct flavour profile in mind that I wanted to achieve, so I specifically created the heart of the recipe to bring that to life. It is a unique expression of Ardbeg which has exceeded all my expectations. It has the trademark Ardbeg undertones with a distinct new taste experience and an explosive mouthfeel which gives way to complex flavours of coffee grounds, liquorice, maple smoked ham, malty/biscuit notes, white pepper and a good sweet/salty balance.”

He continues:
“We love to experiment and try new things at Ardbeg and we are in no doubt that Auriverdes will be a hit with our Ardbeg fans on Ardbeg Day!”

“Ardbeg Day” runs alongside the widely celebrated Islay Festival (the Feis Ile). It has become a key event in the calendar of malt whisky aficionados around the world, with thousands making the trip to the Island of Islay annually. “Ardbeg Day” will be celebrated in the form of a “Peat Football” tournament on May 31st at the Ardbeg Distillery and at participating Ardbeg Embassies around the world.

Ardbeg Auriverdes Taste Notes
Aroma: Tarry and herbal notes with hints of mocha
Taste: Coffee grounds pass to smoked root vegetables, while maple-cured bacon collides with hot-smoked salmon
Finish: A lingering, smoky vanilla note

What Richard Says:
Nose: Briney capers over salted cod. As it opens up in the glass the sea settles and more vegetal peat notes come through. If you leave it sitting still longer it’s more of a thick dutch processed cocoa powder type of nose. It’s very intriguing how dynamic and evolving the nose on this one is.
Palate: There is a surprising play of chocolate and vanilla here with a bit of citrus back to it. The smokiness is here but less prevalent than the nose but it’s an almost greasy smokiness.
Finish: Smoky yet creamy. It fades with a hot spiciness that isn’t all together unpleasant. Give it more time to clear the palate though and a nasty kind of marmite like flavor comes out.
Comments: Wow. This is the one they should have called “rollercoaster”. This is the amazing, ever evolving dram. The more time you give it seems to yield the shedding and exposure of more layers of flavor. This definitely an intellectual dram (which unfortunately most of Dr. Lumsden’s limited release seem to be as of late) but not something I would be reaching for again anytime soon.
Rating: Average

Laphroaig Select Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
40% ABV
$55
Website

What the Distillery Says:
Laphroaig®, the world’s #1 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, proudly introduces its newest expression, Laphroaig® Select Scotch Whisky. This new, innovative expression brings the distinct styles of the Laphroaig portfolio together to create a new expression that stays true to the brand’s heritage with an added layer of complexity and depth brought about by marrying various maturation styles and different oaks.

The liquid is carefully selected by Laphroaig Master Distiller, John Campbell, from the finest casks representing the favorite styles of Laphroaig – Quarter Cask, PX Cask, Triple Wood and Ten-Year Old Casks – creating a subtle blending of peat, oak and sweetness. The true heart of the spirit is then drawn from a final maturation in new American Oak casks, rarely used in Scotch Whisky maturation. During the last six months of aging, Laphroaig Select rests in the highest, warmest reaches of the warehouse throughout the Scottish summer.

The inspiration behind Laphroaig Select Scotch Whisky, and the unique method of aging, comes from the history and family lineage of the Laphroaig brand. Ian Hunter, the last family member to own Laphroaig, was influential in experimenting with new ways of distilling and was one of the first to combine American bourbon casks with traditional European casks to create new flavors, which at the time had not been seen. Laphroaig Select takes inspiration from Ian, creating a new expression with both classic and new flavors.

“Laphroaig Select is a true original and, as always, we have stayed true to our roots, using the fantastic Laphroaig heritage as inspiration for this new innovation,” said John Campbell, Laphroaig Master Distiller. “Laphroaig Select delivers a liquid with a unique marriage of our trademark ‘peat reek’ and a gentle sweetness, which we hope will both surprise and delight you.”

At 80 proof, Laphroaig Select is best enjoyed neat or with a splash of water to release the earthy aroma of blue peat smoke, sweet nuttiness of barley and the heathery perfume of Islay’s streams. Laphroaig Select is available at fine retail locations in select markets nationwide with a suggested retail price of $55.00 per 750ml bottle. Laphroaig Select joins the Laphroaig portfolio of Scotch whiskies that includes Laphroaig 10-Year-Old, 10-Year-Old Cask Strength, Quarter Cask, 18-Year-Old, 25-Year-Old, QA Cask, Triple Wood and Cairdeas 2014 Amontillado Edition.

What Richard Says:
Nose: A little of the Laphroaig brine and smoke but it starts to get pushed aside by the sherry notes. They don’t seems to be playing well together but rather jockeying for position.
Palate: Very sweet. That’s the initial impression. It’s like an Islay with training wheels. It’s lighter and almost watery in viscosity compared to other Laphroaigs. Seriously, this reminds me of Cloraseptic throat spray.
Finish: Iodine, raisins, a little smoke, and more Cloraseptic.
Comments: I try this and I ask myself…”Are we losing something here?” Granted, taste is VERY subjective. I would never think that my opinions on any whiskey should be your opinions on whiskey. With that caveat out of the way I ask myself why is Laphroaig messing with a great thing? We start off with the classic 10 Year Old Laphroaig. The bourbon casks let the malt shine through. In it’s cask strength version I think it is one of the three best single malt scotches available at 10 years of age (Springbank and Talisker being the other two). So if you’re Laphroaig you say “let’s monkey around with near perfection.” So you dump that ex-bourbon barrel Laphroaig into Quarter Casks. Okay, so the Quarter Cask is pretty good…not as good as the 10 but good. It also helps with the surge in demand because the QC can come out quicker without the age statement. Fine, I understand the nature of business. Next you say “what if we take the QC and dump it into Oloroso sherry wood?” Okay, now you’ve added Triple Wood. To me it’s moving in the wrong direction and I find it lacking next to the 10 and the QC but sherry is big now so some other people may like it. Now, with Select, you take all that came before and throw in some PX wood too before dumping it into new american oak. Why? I have no idea. I love Laphroaig. I really do. But this bottle leaves me asking why? It’s like a remnants batch made of all the leftover stuff in the warehouse. Too may hands (read wood finish) in the pot. On top of that, Laphroaig is monster malt and does well with proof. 80 proof just isn’t’ cutting it.
Rating: Average

I would like to thank the folks at DBC PR & Social Media for sending over a bottle for review.