Origin: Isle of Islay (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 46%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon and ex-Madeira
Chillfiltered: No
Additional coloring: No
Owner: Moet Hennessy
Average price: € 150.00
Official website: www.ardbeg.com
Second instalment of the Anthology series, which, after the Harpy of 2023, proposed the Unicorn in the late summer of 2024, with the usual distillery-related story.
At the end of a distillery party, on a dark (but not stormy) night, a clatter of hooves was heard in the courtyard. Many thought it was Rory, the distillery’s Shetland pony, known for his bad temper and voracious appetite, but some of those who came out to investigate swore they saw a horse with a horn protruding from its head, silhouetted against the full moon: the unicorn, symbol of Scotland.
The raid of an ice-cream van and the fact that Rory’s gate was not locked obviously had nothing to do with the witnesses’ version.
In the Anthology series, unusual casks, in this case ex-Madeira casks, are used not as a finish but as part of the overall maturation process.
Tasting Notes
The nose bears the clear signature of the distillery, with strong coastal notes (between iodine and seafood), grilled citrus (orange, grapefruit, tangerine) and burnt rubber. Very aromatic, both in the sense of herbs sprinkled on grilled meats (from thyme to rosemary and dill), and in the sense of a fruity richness that adds to the initial citrus, juggling with pineapple, dried apricot, sour cherry and papaya. Nuts arer also full-bodied, with peanuts and pecans underpinning the aromas. The nose is very full and rich, almost fat, with the peat playing in harmony without overpowering. Beautiful.
On the palate, less full-bodied than I expected, not light but not oily either, it decisively brings back the nuts, also expressed in pastry (marzipan, praline peanuts), accompanied by equally decisive fruit, including citrus, peach, candied apricot, red fruit (light, towards currants and sour cherries). Sea in buckets, aftertaste of grilled oysters and scallops, and acrid smoke between burnt plastic and oranges skewered with cloves and grilled. Crème brûlée, Caribbean cigar ash, nutmeg and fennel seeds. The herbs remain in the background, veining the length.
Long finish dominated by ash and saltiness, with nuts, citrus, herbs, nutmeg and dull cigar.
It’s been a long time since an Ardbeg special edition was really special, without giving you the feeling of being ripped off while drinking it. A slight disappointment in the lack of body on the palate, but otherwise a really pleasant and full, complex, layered experience with some nice cask work. I repeat, beautiful.
Vote: 88/100