We kicked off our second lap of the whisky regions of Scotland with a true classic. It had been noted that we hadn’t had a proper heavily peated malt for some time and after looking at the current range of Islay malts in our price range this seemed an excellent fit.
When Ardbeg 10 was released it was the first expression from the distillery not to be chill-filtered.

http://www.ardbeg.com/whisky/ultimate-range/ten-years-old

Cost: £40
70cl / 46% abv

Tasting Notes*

Nose: Tar-covered rope. A ridge of vanilla leads to mountain of peat capped with citrus fruits and circled by clouds of sea spray. Starts with ginger and green pepper, seawater, oysters, wet dogs, carbon paper, freshly ground pepper, garden bonfire, wet limestone. Some raw malted barley. A little and raisin and caramelised apple notes

Palate: Brine, almond oil, bitter apples, seashells, diesel oil, hessian, liquorice wood, espresso, juniper, caraway… Everything is to like. Sweet vanilla counterbalanced with lemon and lime followed by that surging Ardbeg smoke that we all know and love. Medicinal. Lapsang souchong tea. Good body, perfect mouth feel. 

Finish: Long and glorious; sea salted caramel and beach bonfire smoke.  long, salty, sharp, very smoky.

*Tasting notes from Master of Malt, Whiskyfun, and Whisky Magazine.

Packaging

Standard. Cork stopper. Came with a free glass.

Verdict

More and more whisky lovers are claiming that the Ten beats all the Ardbeg special editions, for it’s mouth-feel and balance. We loved it, although there was some mocking of the official tasting notes; zesty lime wrapped in dark chocolate, bold menthol, cool sea-spray on chalky cliffs, pine woodlands… A wave of brine infused with buttermilk, toasted marshmallow. Each was greeted with cries of “Tarry ropes!”