Ardbeg 10 Scotch - Page 2

I find it hard to believe that current Caol Ila is peatier than Ardbeg. I find Caol fairly mild, by comparison. ~ H

Hmmm - perhaps I need to refresh my Ardbeg memory because Caol and Laphroig are the two most recent Islays I've had.

I think when discussing single malts, the Islays are really a class unto themselves. A very fine Islay like Laphroaig 15 yr or Bowmore 18 is so very different from a fine Highland like Highland Park or Macallan. If you are looking for entry-palate Islays, I would go for a Bowmore 12. You see the comments from people here who don't know scotch and their experiences with the powerful Islays, it's definitely not the right place to start your Islay journey with Ardbeg or Laphroaig 10 yr. Better to ease into it a bit, you might even consider blended scotch that has an Islay component to it, like Johnny Walker Green label.

Also, I too have found most Islays benefit from a few drops of water in the mix. Serving temperature is a factor as well. I like mine cool but not cold. Remember, in Northern Scotland, "room temperature" is about 60 degrees!

^As I just said in another post, I think the Highland Park 12 is a great intro scotch. It is very moderately priced and neither very peaty nor very sweet. I always make sure to have some HP around for guests who don't like peatier scotches .

New to the forum and happy to see a recent thread on this topic. Bruichladdich 12 (Islay) and Glenrothes (Speyside) are two less peaty choices I have come across lately.

There are some casks of Caol Ila around that will knock you senseless no doubt.
Some are not very peated. Most are somewhere in between.
Interesting distillery with good output. Lots of single cask bottlings around for the adventurous.
Very seldom has any Caol Ila bottling been considered as a dramatic failure.
Also, due to high production figures, CA tends to stay in reasonable figures when being sold.

HP is a great drop! No question of that. 18yr is a slice of heaven! 12yr offers superb value and consistent quality.
Remarkable is that this fact has remained constant for a decade.
Not many brands can say this of their bottlings.

There are some nice overlooked highlanders that would in my opinion be very good for beginners.
Ben Nevis, Dalmore and Edradour come in mind.
I'm especially fond of Ben Nevis. Earlier (90's) bottlings used to be very nice and mellow.
I have not tried any of their newer releases, but I trust it is still worth the money.
All three are usually commanding reasonable prices when in standard bottling.
So, even if rejected by someone, no huge loss there.

My wife's out of town so I have a date with this hot little number tonight: No telling what we'll get up to. lefty

You are a lucky man. I've had my eye on her for a long time.

My goto whisky is Lagavulin, but this is quite nice and pretty affordable for a 30-year-old.

lefty

Does it get much milder with age?

ardberg is not a starters scotch, if you want something peaty but approachable i would reccomend a talisker (any though the 18 is divine)

I would suggest Bunnahabhain 12 as an introductory Islay. But as another thread pointed out, I'm kinda ignorant about this stuff, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

Yes. Definite iodine, but it has far more depth and roundness than the 10-year-old Laphroaig which I don't like that much. There's a touch of sweetness and the finish lasts for quite some time.

If you can find it for under $300, grab it.

But if you're flush try this:



Only £1,449.00.

lefty

Do you guys really like Laph 30yr and 40yr?
I found both being way past the best days.
My personal opinion is that Laph does not do well if kept in cask longer than 20yrs.
Most sophisticated Laph I have tried so far is still the distillery bottled 15yr.
I have tried quite a few older bottlings, both independent and distillery bottled. None came even close to the perfection of 15yr old.

My fav Laphs so far:
1) 15yr distillery bottling
2) 10yr cask strength (I buy this most often...my basic drop)
3) The first Leapfrog from Murray McDavid. Can not remember age, prolly was 9. Odd stuff...in a good way.

My opinion is that very few whiskies take ages over 25yrs well. Majority will start going downhill after 20yr. Lowlanders in general do not take even 15yrs well.
Heavy first fill sherry matured bottlings will be the safest bet if you are buying some older stuff for lot of money.

I advise against buying anything over 20yrs unless you have tried it first and compared to some less aged bottlings from the same distillery.
If you still think it is fab, buy it then.

If you are loaded with cash...buy it all!! I would!

There are sooooo many nice whiskies around, but in this current whisky craze, I think it is great to find whiskies that can be considered of great value.
Most are not as whisky prices have gone through roof, quality gone down and much of the stock bottled in haste to please the stock owners.
Take a look at your favorite distilleries and see what has happened in past 10 years?
Has the standard bottling come down in age? Has the price gone up a lot despite this?
Has there been countless "special bottlings" around with nothing special inside (these naturally to satisfy the "stamp collectors"...these same guys are largely the culprits behing the massive inflation in malt prices)?

These are dire times for malt drinkers with thin wallets.
Hence, I find my self going back to basic chateau bottlings again and again.

I tried collecting whisky. Did not work too well.
Drank it all with my friends! Very rewarding!
I'm sure the men who made that drink would agree with me.

I fear the good old times are gone for good.
This current recession may well fix things a bit, but there is no going back to the golden days before whisky craze.

^ The 10 is drinkable but the same from beginning to end and somewhat flat, whereas the 30 changes in the mouth from the initial rush of iodine to an almost citrus middle and a warm sweet finish. The first is like the medicine your mother gave you - it works and it's good for you. The second is the concoction your grandmother made for you - same as your mom's but with added sweetness to make it go down easier.

lefty