Ardbeg 14 yo Cadenhead 80 proof vs Ardbeg 11 yo 1975/1986 Corti Brothers 86 proof
2 hard to find Ardbegs from the early 70s, so I suspect going to be very good, but just how good:
Ardbeg 14 yo Cadenhead 80 proof
A mini, though there were other Ardbegs in this Cadenhead dumpy bottle range.
Nose: This bottle doesn’t give the distillation year but this profile seems quite 70s, though the math suggests last 60s.. Hmm… This pristine fresh salt spray in the nose, the clean kind of phenolics if that makes sense, clean white smoke and salted lemon slices. The hot sand sort of minerals, hot metal and just a bit of a mentholated-camphor rub. and just some tar. Sweet wood, and burning resin. Not very cutting at all. All the markers are there and it’s great but I would say it remains just that, quite straightforward.. needs a sizzle. But it’s perfectly fine to have much love for this anyway.
Palate: Pristine saltwater with maybe just a hint of mud or is that sunken wood. Quickly becoming very lemony-citric and salty, as in salt up in the nose. Black earth, strong chest rub vapours and a bit of some aniseed candy. Unfortunately this turns really dry and salty and reaches for the finish too quickly.
Finish: Medium long, salty, lemony bite, with a dry smack. Also old books. Great stuff.
Ardbeg 11 yo 1975/1986 Corti Brothers 86 proof
Bottled by R.W Duthie .. so Cadenhead, for Corti Brothers, a grocery store in Sacremento that is still around.
Nose: This one is the Cadenhead, but taken to the next gear. Again all these classic 70s markers are there but now with a much bigger salted lemon bite, and a green acid edge. Now is that battery acid or some woody resinous acid I am not sure but it’s not just citric. What is for sure is this whisky has that extra sparkle to it. Also – dried bark, clean earth funk, and something like dried out Bay. although because of all this it the phenolics does seem taken down a notch. Again a wondrously pristine Ardbeg.
Palate: More herbal and clean earth at first sip. herbal bitters, big vegetal acidic bite, granite chips or calcium carbonate. Lots of ‘seared’ sort of notes that make you imagine white hot metal and liquid glass. Chewing on green capsicums plus seeds. Not very phenolic at all it seems, though you get some dry firewood and black soot.
Finish: The finish is actually smokier I think, and rather acrid and burnt with these capsicums seared to a crisp on too hot metal grills sort of notes. Very special.
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