Ardbeg 10yo circa 1960s, 80 proof
Yes this is a rather old 10 year old, from about the 60s, before Ardbeg started using the distinctive stylized A in Ardbeg. That means this whisky has been in glass for about 50 years or so. That also means this isn’t a widely available daily dram, thanks to Udo for this sample and this opportunity.
I’ve gone on quite a bit about Ardbeg and its past in earlier posts, so straight to this oldie then.
(Also, I’ve nicked your picture!)
Nose: Stunning complexity. Salt encrusted rubber boots, pages from old books, briny shellfish on a bed of seaweed, phenolic peatsmoke from upwind, tell tale touches of burstingly ripe fruit here and there though I can’t say what. More salty seabreeze. Chest rub. The whole is not huge but beautifully integrated, and the vegetal-ly phenolic peat seeps into everything, melding it all into a round whole.
Palette: Soft entry, but builds up quickly – the peat now becomes this big round thing that sits on the tongue. Ashes and smoking seaweed recedes for maritime flavours. Salty piers and catch of the day. Also something very much like a herby medicated oil. On the other hand, much less obvious fruits here. Not a huge heavy body though.
Finish: Comes too soon. Medium, rubbery smoke, medicated aftertaste.
It’s 45.7% (?), and been in the glass for 50 years, that might be the reason the body feels a little weak after that magnificent nose. But really, it’s almost perfect. Also a plus: not much detectable glass effect.
Whiskyrific RSS
- Springbank 32 yo 1966 / 1998 #499 55.1%
- Millburn 36 yo 1969 / 2005 Douglas Laing #DL2152 50% vs Glenburgie 40 yo 1963 / 2003 Signatory #4751 56.4%
- Ben Nevis 23 yo 1996 / 2019 Single Malts of Scotland for the Nectar #536 51.3% vs A Speyside Distillery 32 yo 1989 / 2022 Thompson Bros 51.4%
- Brora 22 yo 1972 / 1995 Rare Malts 61.1% vs Brora 22 yo 1972 / 1995 Rare Malts 58.7%
- Talimburg 19 yo 1986 / 2005 The Whisky Fair #1485 45.9% vs Talisker 20 yo 1981 / 2002 62%
- Caol Ila 12 yo Bulloch Lade for Zenith 43% vs Caol Ila 30 yo 1979 / 2010 Berry Bros #4604/5 55.6%
- Clynelish 29 yo 1965 Whyte & Whyte 52.1%
- Brora 21 yo 1982 / 2003 Signatory #416 58.4% vs Clynelish 27 yo 1982 / 2009 Synch Eli Daily Dram 46%
- Dornoch 5 yo 2017 / 2023 #46 ‘Jasper Broers’ 57.9% vs Shizuoka ‘private cask’ 2017 / 2022 #2017-108 61%
- Clynelish 26 yo 1993 / 2020 Carn Mor #11215 52.7% vs Bowmore 17 yo 2004 /2021 SMWS 3.327 ‘Siren’s Song’ 57.1%
whiskyrific 