Ardbeg 1998/2008 ‘Renaissance’ (55.9%, OB) Lot L8 121 02:35 4ML

From the bottle “Distilled 1998 – Final Release Bottle 2008” “This stunning ARDBEG, first released in 2004, now concludes the ‘Young Ardbeg Series’ where we have followed the ‘path to peaty maturity’. Available in limited quantities at 10 years old, it reflects the full spectrum of depth and complexity that makes ARDBEG…ARDBEG!”

(The line up, all distilled in 1998, Very Young bottled 2004, Still Young bottled 2006 and Almost There bottled in 2008).

Renaissance, one of the few bottling from this distillery that has an age statement, but wait! While it says 1998-2008 it actually does not have an age statement; true to the current distillery practice. The nose is very herbaceous and some what green at first followed by some quite sweet and honeyed peat smoke. The wood notes are fragrant (think of juniper or even a red cedar). There is also some slight hints of menthol and Dettol and some burnt twigs. Despite this odd collection of descriptors the sweetness and the peat smoke make a nice contribution which brings it together. With water the peat reek is very dominating and comes crashing out of the glass, it’s a dramatic change and will be welcomed by peat heads that crave extreme peat reek. Ominously there is an every so slight hint of soapiness hovering in the back ground. The taste undiluted is very pleasant and strong! There is lots of peat reek, sweetness, liquorice and it’s warming but not much else. With water the taste is much better with more character beyond the peat reek and sweetness. Now there are spicy oak notes, some citrus and even some unsweetened cocoa. The juniper and red cedar are still present and the herbaceous notes from the initial nosing have calmed down. The finish is quite big, mild damp ash followed by pleasant moments of sweetness and the peat reek and the lumber notes. Loads of peat that carries on forever along with a large dollop of bitterness. After a number of minutes the finish levels off and is quite pleasant.

“We’ve Arrived!”  The “Mission Accomplished!” statement of the whisky world one is forced to conclude.

£54.99 at the Whisky Exchange

78 Points