Ardbeg NAS (57.1%, OB, Corryvreckan, 2009)

http://www.ardbeg.com/twist/ Proof positive why you shouldn’t drink prior to a deep sea dive or while making short movies.

On the nose we have some smoked honey, some brine and light coal smoke along with hints of maple and cocoa. There are also some sweet wine notes and a slight hint of juniper hovering in the far back ground…with water the sample opens dramatically and the coal smoke becomes very dominant however the sweet notes are now verging on the ‘green’ side of the flavour wheel (think green peas, grass and perhaps damp uncooked lentils). Curious. After some time in the glass the green diminishes and the coal smoke is the main dominate aroma. The undiluted nose is better in some ways. The taste is very earthy and fragrant along with the cocoa and the peat smoke and after the first swish around the mouth the flavour changes to be mildly cream soda like….an unexpected surprise. With water the taste is of more gentle peat smoke and some of the honeyed coal smoke once again, this is good! The finish after a few minutes reveals some good malt and then the cream soda makes and appearance again. There is also some gin like aspects lurking around in the latter stages of the finish (that would be the juniper). After a few minutes the finish turn slightly soapy which is slightly unpleasant.

It was all going very well until the last second……..

US$85

Score 82 points

…..Peat Week continues 4 of 4 & most likely a bonus tasting note Saturday!