Ardberg has got to be one of the most theatrically creative Scotches out there - and highly productive too! In 2022 alone they've put out five special releases (Fon Fhoid, Hypernova, Smoketrails, Heavy Vapour, Ardcore) many of which are Committee Releases - an Ardbeg fanclub that's free to join. As with many brand's these fanclubs give you early access to special product launches and in Ardbeg's case, many of their special releases come in two proofs - the higher proof is usually a Committee Release (you have to purchase it from the fanclub's online store), with a lower proof that's set for a wider mass release.

If you're keen to join, link's here. (Image Source: Ardbeg)

As such, if you're a Scotch fan, you would do well to be a part of Ardbeg's Committee - it is probably the most rewarding of the lot. Whether their releases are as good as they sound or not is a whole other matter, although that said, there's no stopping the legions of fans and curious drinkers from repeatedly having a go at Ardbeg's limited editions despite perennial moans that more could be asked of Ardbeg's whiskies (but then again, which major brand doesn't face the same high quality problem).

It might be of interest to some that Ardbeg, along with the Highland distillery Glenmorangie, both belong to LVMH - as in Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy. They remain the only forays into whiskies in an otherwise massive spirits portfolio belonging to the global luxury conglomerate. 

Back to today's bottle, Ardcore was Ardbeg's Feis Ile 2022 bottling, a festival celebrating the island's whiskies taking place on Scotland's Islay annually. What's special about it is apparently its use of Black Malt Barley.

Black Malt Barley is a super heavily roasted barley malt that is roasted to the point at which it stands a reasonably good chance of catching fire. This type of malt is typically used for porters, stouts and also “dunkel” versions of Pilsners. Guinness stout is a great example of the use of black malt barley.

Let's give it a go!

Ardbeg Ardcore, 46% ABV - Review

Color: Much lighter than you'd expect, straw yellow. 

Aroma: Quite an accentuated harsh smokiness, probably more akin to soot - which is to be expected. The smokiness is up front and center and sharp. This isn't one of those gentle aromatic smoke or a bellowing puff - it's quite acute. Reminiscent of burnt toast actually. There's a cereal maltiness as well, with clarified butter, and then a sour zest of lemon and brine. The soot calms down quite quickly which is alittle surprising, opening up to a more medicinal tincture kind of bitterness.

Taste: Lighter-bodied than expected - it kicks off with a wash of ashy, lightly honeyed, briny bitterness - it's sort of everything you'd expect from a standard issue Islay whisky but somewhat too harsh and alittle incoherent - the gang's all there but they don't seem to gel, with a body that's perhaps watery. Almond skins give alittle astringency and there are also notes of white florals and kombu butter, but again somewhat all over the place. There's a touch of minerality, light dusting of powdered sugar, perhaps abit of sugar syrup, and then a squeeze of lemon, although the ashiness does get in the way, somewhat reminiscent of cigarette ash and charred toast.

Finish: Short, mostly an incongruous continuation of what was found on the palate - more ash in honeyed water, with a touch of peanut skins lightly salted and alittle bit of sugar syrup and chalk.

My Thoughts

I didn't really enjoy this, at all. It's clearly very young whisky, with many semblances to new make, and while the standard Islay whisky notes are all accounted for and present, they were far too harsh and incongruous without any proper integration. This could really use alot more body and richness or sweetness to hold it together. In this case, it's just an array of sharp jagged notes pointing in every which direction overlaid on a watery texture, which I suppose as the label warns, is meant to "punkture" our taste buds.

What is perhaps more ironic is that amidst the load of Ardbeg's I've tried this year, I actually thought this was perhaps the most tuned down in terms of its usual medicinal smoky bitterness that is quite an acquired taste. Which is to say this was probably the mildest Ardbeg and was also the worst of the lot. A lot like the first time I had cold brew actually - steeped roasted barley in water? 

Kanpai!

@111hotpot