|
4th September 2024 |
The subtlety
peated Ardbeg 17
Year Old is set to make a fleeting
return as a limited edition release
exclusively available to Ardbeg
Committee members.
 Ardbeg
has announced the fleeting revival of one of its
debatably classic single malt whiskies, the more
subtlety peated Ardbeg 17 Year Old.
The folks at Ardbeg Distillery are
reviving the fabled Ardbeg 17 Year Old
as a limited edition exclusively for
Ardbeg Committee members.
The original Ardbeg 17 Year Old was
certainly revered for its delicate smoky
notes as well as its fruity notes but at
the same time it was criticised for
these same notes by fans of big in your
face peated Ardbeg's but this did not
prevent the 17 year old dram from
becoming a legend of its time and for
those of you who did not have a chance
to taste the original 20 odd years ago
you now have the chance to find out if
the whisky deserves its legendary status
with this new limited release Ardbeg
Committee bottling of the Ardbeg 17 Year
Old.
First released in 1997, Ardbeg 17 Year Old
marked a significant milestone as one of
the first whiskies to emerge from the
Distillery after being rescued from
closure by The Glenmorangie Company.
This expression, with its rare elegance
and more subtle Ardbeg character,
quickly became a beloved choice among
the Distillery’s early loyal supporters.
When it was discontinued in 2004,
members of the Ardbeg Committee lamented
its absence and have long called for its
return.
The Distillery’s Whisky Creation Team,
nestled within their sensory laboratory,
took note of these calls. Although they
typically focus on pioneering new smoky
creations, they set out to recreate the
beloved profile of Ardbeg 17 Year Old,
one subtle smoky note at a time.
However, this task required breaking one
of the Distillery’s own golden rules.
Unlike the usual 46% ABV or higher and
non chill-filtered process, the team
combined peated and unpeated stock and
altered their production methods to
replicate the original character of
Ardbeg 17 Year Old. This resulted in a
whisky bottled at 40% ABV and
chill-filtered, just as it was in the
past.
Ardbeg tells me that the outcome is a
refined interpretation of the
Distillery’s signature smoke, as known
today. With a balmy and medicinal
quality, its captivating minerality
evolves into sweet smoke and malted
barley. Though the peat is more
restrained, subtle hints of tar and oak
linger in the background. Interestingly
Ardbeg doesn't mention the orange
marmalade, cherry and Madeira cake notes
which I recall were prominent in the
subtlety peated original malty dram.
Master Blender Gillian Macdonald said:
"When we meet die-hard Ardbeg Committee
members, the conversation often turns to
Ardbeg 17 Years Old. After pondering for
some time how we could bring this
favourite back to life, we landed on a
delicious recipe that honours the
character of the original 17 Years Old
both in aroma, flavour and texture.
Ardbeg fans can expect to find classic
aromas of pine resin and sea spray, as
well as a mineral note layered with
malted barley – all underpinned by
delicate smoke. In tribute to the Ardbeg
folk past and present who made this
whisky an icon, we’re very excited to
bring an Islay legend back to life,
allowing a new generation of whisky
lovers to experience an iconic Ardbeg
that they’ve heard so much about."
The Ardbeg 17 Year Old Committee Release has a RRP of £160,
a little more than the £29.99 price tag
of the original back in 1997. The new
bottling will be available exclusively to
members of the Ardbeg Committee from
24th September 2024. It will be
available online at Ardbeg.com, at the
Distillery Visitor Centre on Islay, and
in Ardbeg Embassies such as
The Whisky Exchange
and
Master of Malt
|
Ardbeg 17 Year Old Review
|
Bottled at 40% ABV. Chill filtered.
Producer's
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Fresh,
clean and salving, with hints of pine
resin, aniseed, sea spray and lavender
soap, the nose is very gentle, very
restrained, and rather elegant for an
Ardbeg. With water, there is a
distinctive, flinty minerality, along
with subtle hints of sweet peat smoke,
malted barley, and a touch of toasting
bread.
Taste: A
beautiful, creamy texture is followed by
a lovely combination of flavours, with
aniseed toffee, café latte, fennel and
gentle antiseptic soap. The peat smoke
is present, but in a very restrained
manner.
Finish: Lingering,
with chewy oak, cocoa powder and tar.
|
Where To Buy Whisky Online
|
|
Select a country for a list of
specialist Whisky shops who delivers to
you:
|
Whisky Focus
<<<Back to
Whisky Focus for more Whisky News
|
Top
Of Page |
|
|
Online Whisky Shops |
|
|
|
New Whiskies |
| Check out the latest
new whisky releases. |
 |
| Worldwide delivery
available.
More Info |
|
