Ardbeg Smokiverse
48.3%
Nose: Yum. Very maritime. So smooth and rounded. Grilled white peach, dying coals, burnt sugar, rosemary salt. Peat builds on sourdough. Limoncello.
Palate: A touch hot. Creamy peat. Sweet with just a touch of sour, hyper-ripe stone fruit with a drizzle of lemon. Clove. Perhaps some sauternes. Salty, minerality.
Finish: Herby bitterness. Sweet, sauternes with a touch of soured cream. Slightly fermented white peach concentrate. As I adjust to this, the heat really dies off and the lower abv shows. I’m honestly not complaining – it balances it out in my opinion, based on the initial heat, but there’s certainly white pepper. Salty, can feel it in my cheeks.
I really like this, but it’s lacking some complexity. Reminds me a bit more of Caol Ila than Ardbeg, which is generally a good thing for me. The white stone fruit profile is right up my alley.
Score: 3.5/5
Mental Image: Grilled peach on the beach.