so, a man walked into a bar.. into a Whisky Bar. in Turku.

Not that many famous stories ever start with a glass of water, even if it is Badoit. Since I, again, visited the famous Whisky Bar in Turku I thought I’ll share with you some of whiskies I got to taste in there. What I really like about that place is that it’s owner is a Whisky enthusiast as well so there are always new great drams and stories to find. It is a bit of shame I am not there this weekend, since they’ve got a unique Ledaig tasting happening. If your feet takes you there, don’t be afraid to step inside despite the tough sprawl look they’ve got. It is not the place for those who like it tidy and filled with classical music. This is about rock, rough and ride! And their prices are extremely reasonable!   http://whiskybarfin.com/

Now that you know the place, you can guess why the stores in there don’t start with water.. unless that water has been through a distillation process in Scotland. So, I walked into a bar and got us some great Scots. The choice was easy since I knew they had drams in there, that were going to be nearly unique to experience. If you go there and find the choices overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to ask for advice from the bartender. And you can ask them to give you a few choices. Remember that you get to taste more drams if you don’t take full shots of each. I tend to take 2 cl each usually, so you can actually try out more whiskies than you could with full 4cl shots. And you don’t down them at once, the bottom can stay down.

the first.. was BenRiach 33YO single cask from year 1972.  The details can be seen here

It was a great dram with a full body and wisdom provided by it’s age. The classic gentleman, who does not brag nor pick a fight. Soft voice, strong opinions, oak skin. The last of these: oak, was nicely present in the finish. This is one of those whiskies that define what older than 30YO drams should be like. There is nothing that stings, nothing that is bitter, it is broad, experienced and knows the world.

This was a good dram, but it’s “flaw” was that it was too ordinary. There was nothing rough, that would burn into your memory and make it memorable. It might work miracles if you were sitting with friends and talking philosophical topics, sipping off this dram. We were not.

The peated BenRiach, that followed, was younger and held a sword in it’s hand. 21 years old, but it knew the tricks and treats. Strong, swiping and yet it had seen lots of trails in it’s life. 1984 was the year when I was at the elementary school and probably the only whisky reference was from the Tex Willers. It was the year when people at BenRiach distilled and casked this one.

We determined that this was the second best whisky in that evening. There was smoke and peat, but it was softer than what I’ve accustomed to experience. Softer, but yet fully figured, nothing was thin about this. I also noticed that it had a great balance between the elements: peatfire, fruitground, spiceair and wateroflife.

The finish was tasty, long and I founded out that I liked to hold on to this dram a lot longer than I originally thought. It was precious treasure to be let loose eventually. Our group really enjoyed this encounter and at this point (noting 1972 version as well) I had fully changed my opinion about BenRiach to the better.

But the night was not over, our journey through the bar continued and we ordered next two drams to keep us warm and talkative: BenRiach Sauternes and Tawny Port Woods. These drams were also from the years before 90’s. Barely, but …

 

Since visiting to Canada (Ice Wine!) and Octomore 4.2. Comus I have been fascinated with Sauternes finish. There has been real interesting encounters. This one.. well, it was not what I was expecting. It was a dram of three stages: Sweet oil, Witch judgement (burn to death) and finally absolution by the sweet taste. The overall experience was overwhelming, yes, but it lacked the balance I had gotten used to in the previous two. This one was rough under it’s cover. I hope I get to taste this one again to get a second opinion.

The last BenRiach, we tasted, was the Tawny Port finish. Like sauternes I have been really into port wood finishes lately. The first sip was like wiping your butt with silk: really soft. The next phase is like you had been eating a lots of raw chili earlier! The burning sensation grow and exploded into it’s full effect. This one is brutal demon, but the end is sweet and long. It will definitely dominate.

Our next experience was with 2012 Ardbeg Day. I finally got to taste this one, thanks to this bar!

This whisky has never been that common, since it was sold mostly in the distillery and into bars. The prices rocketed when this landed onto some shops. I kind agree with the label: release the peat!

This is a “classic” Ardbeg for me. It has peat. It has smoke. It has fire. It has balance. It has the character that grew in the North and traveled the South. There is nothing but pure experience that directs it’s magic with force. This was the best dram of the night. We are Ardbeg fans, yes.

I saved drops of this dram for a while in my glass, when I finished off BenRiachs before getting to experience this one again. Most likely I won’t get another chance for this in a long time, which I regret. A great dram with a great attitude!

But our night was not yet over. We had a meeting with the Old Buck. The Beer Hunters were the first (perhaps, most likely, at least amongst the first) whisky distillers in Finland.

I especially like the Barrel number. Two. This bottle was from the first 100 bottle’s patch they produced.

To try this one, is to play the Game of Thrones. It gets violent, brutal and sexy. It is rude, lethal, fierce, tempting, cunning, mad and dirty at the same time. It will get under your skin, burn and release the dragons. This is a experience, that you don’t get much. The euphoria this one releases is awesome! This is not just about it’s power (70.6%!) but it is about the full matrix that includes all those sides of taste that are so familiar from the GoT.

 

The night continued on, but there isn’t anything I can write about since the remaining whisky got no justice after the Old Buck.  It only means that I have to make a pilgrimage to the Whisky Bar again.. 

Ardbeg Perpetuum – the bicentury beg vents out some smoke

The stopper sounds like a pressing the ignite on a expensive car. It just makes the necessary sounds with the right tone. It sings quality and well thought finalization. Not letting things half made, or just good enough. But the stopper sound does not tell you anything about the whisky, but it can compliment the overall experience.

Ardbeg produces their special bottling (or two) each year. Some of those bottles travel to this faraway land, which hasn’t seen much summer this year. The Perpetuum is a NAS bottling (again) and it contains different kinds of Ardbegs that has been matured in bourbon and/or sherry casks. I did have a long wait for this one, as Ardbeg is one of my favorite drams.

There are different Perpetuum versions out there (the Committee version is, I hear, a better one) and this one is from the bigger batch (alc 47.4%). But let’s get down to the business, shall we.

The nose is very different from the recent Ardbegs I’ve had (like Galileo and Uigeadail). This has a lots of direct smoke, dryness and ash. I have to admit and to ask.. “where’s the peat?”

The nose brings out ashes and smoke at first. Then the spices follow with the oak wood. Saltiness gains more ground as the more hasty notes have run away. The following sips enhance the smoke and bring out some peat too. This is interesting, since this reminds me a lot about Kilchoman’s three year old drams they bottled 2010 and 2011. My memory may fail me, but the Kilchoman resemblance is very strong in this one.

So, I can’t say this is bad. I like Kilchoman and I love Ardbegs. This is not the traditional Ardbeg, but something completely different. The strong ash and smoke appeal to me very much, but I think this lacks the full body and width/depth. This is a very two-dimensional (bicentennial) product, which is nice to taste but it does not scream for the seconds. Alas, the finish is too short. I am still waiting for the Never-Ending part. This is perhaps one of the biggest disappointments for me, since the long finish lets you enjoy the whisky a much better (and longer) between refills.

Ardbeg Day 2015! (And Ardbeg Perpetuum)

The annual Ardbeg day is here again! In order to celebrate the famous distillery for their 200 years of master arts I have taken some last drops of my Perp.. Supernova SN2010 into my Ardbeg tumbler!

Ardbeg Perpentual has escaped me for now, but it is coming to Finland’s Alko just after Midsummer Eve (or near it) with a price tag less than 100€. Waiting that, I’ll just continue tasting my current open Ardbegs! Slainte!

Ardbeg Perpetuum and Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2015

On the whisky news side, in case you have not noticed yet, there are two magnificent drams: another will arrive soon and the other one is already here.

Ardbeg Perpetuum is going to combine Ardbeg tastes of the past, present and the future. It will be on sale 30.5.2015 and it is limited in numbers. Photo by Ardbeg.

Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2015 was released 23.3.2015. The price is £63 which makes this one probably half (or less) the price of the Perpetuum. This is also a limited bottling, but usually there is a bit more slack with Loch Gorms than with Ardbeg Day releases. Excerpt from Kilchoman’s mail

“The Loch Gorm releases are traditionally matured in ex Oloroso sherry butts and this latest edition is no exception. Where the 2015 version differs from the previous year is the use of sherry hogsheads to mature a portion of the whisky rather than just sherry butts.  This edition will also be marginally older than the five year old 2014 version, it being bottled from casks filled in both 2009 and 2010.  “

Photo by Kilchoman

Uigeadailish Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Holidays! Ardbeg Uigadail is my choice for the Christmas Dram, due to it’s smoke, peat and sherry taste. A wonderful combination and a great dram any time of the year.

The Ardbeg has returned from the space.. with SN2014!

Some years ago, Ardbeg started a great project and participated in another. They both touchdown today, since today marks the date when the famous Supernova returns, along with the Arbeg’s space seed.. err.. malt.. which returns to the ground of the earth from the ISS.

Ardbeg states in their committee newsletter the following: “When we first conceived of the idea of sending Ardbeg into space it seemed like science fiction. Now we’re proud to say it’s science fact.
The world’s first whisky experiment in space touched down safe and sound in Kazakhstan, T minus a few hours ago. It’s now on its way to a lab in Houston and a team of waiting scientists – among their esteemed number, our very own whisky creator Dr. Bill Lumsden.

Their task is to analyse the effects of gravity on whisky maturation. The team will be studying the interaction of Ardbeg-crafted molecules with charred oak in normal gravity on Earth and in the micro-gravity of space – by comparing the contents of the space vial of these compounds with the control sample from Ardbeg’s Warehouse 3 on Islay.” That crater photo is by Ardbeg.

More information about the great experiment can be found on Ardbeg’s site: http://www.ardbeg.com/ardbeg/the-experiment

Of the news concerning Ardbeg Supernova SN2014 can be found from TWE’s blog.

The Supernova dram  has been officially launched today, but alas there are no news about the sale in Finland. TWE also has some photos and tasting notes you might wants to check here:

Based on TWE’s tasting notes, I definitely want to experience the new Supernova. While waiting for that to happen, those you lucky ones, please let me know of if you got to taste the new Supernova.. and how did you like it?

Meanwhile, I stick to the Ardbeg TEN in my glass and enjoy the weekend!

Ardbeg Auriverdes – round two!

Yes, I know Ardbeg Auriverdes is about the soccer/football. It is about the Brazil. It is about the gold and green. So naturally, I chose to take the photo at the tennis field with tennis rackets and a ball, that is yellow. It is about the sports. Finding the balance. Scoring the points. Competition. Exceeding your limits. Making it enjoyable and fun!

Just some thoughts of the second round. The first round article is here.
Nose: Strong dragon’s fiery breath is still present, but not as bad as about a week ago when the bottle was uncapped the first time. Comparing to the experience I had at the Angle Terra there is less mocha present. Letting the dram breath and nosing it carefully, avoiding the dragon, the mocha latte, smokiness and the toast can be found nicely. Peat with fresh herbs makes a random guest star appearance.
Palate: Soft at first, but gets strength, complexity and richness at a rapid pace. Oily, smoky and peaty world expands in the mouth. Spices and mocha do rise from the peat. A more difficult to get past the opponent’s guard than at the first time. Perhaps more time is needed, to tire them to the limits.
Some later sips produce oak, vanilla and toasted mocha out nicely. Oiliness remains in the mouth for a lengthy finish, with spices and smoke.
I will give this one more time and get back to this at the round three. At the moment, there is no clear winner, if that chances later – I’ll write about it.

Esko’s Ardbeg 12YO 1994 Single Cask – the blog’s Summer Solstice Dram 2014

I got an interesting opportunity to catch in my net a rare bottle: single cask IB Ardbeg. I didn’t know much about the bottle, but that is was 12 years old, and it had a sherry cask maturation. The other whisky blogger, Mushimalt, wrote an article about this (in Finnish) and decided to call this one Esko’s Ardbeg. That article is found here. The story is, that “Esko” bought a barrel from the Ardbeg in 1994. He was to choose either a ex-bourbon or ex-sherry cask, and he chose the latter one: refill sherry cask. 12 years later it was the time to put the dram into bottles. For that, he chose Springbank distillery – who wanted to purchase the cask from him but he disagreed with that. They forged out the deal where Esko sold Springbank 60 bottles and kept the rest himself. So this is a really independent single cask Ardbeg, and most like a rarity in Finland.

The contents were bottled at the cask strength (59%). There are 120 bottles in total (I don’t know if that includes bottles Springbank purchased or not). I got a bottle without the label, which is kind of interesting and strange at the same time.

The Midsummer Night's Magic

Today is the Midsummer Eve. The Summer Solstice is near. And this is my choice for it’s dram. It is unique, strange and delicious. It honors the Ardbeg and the tradition. Also it is a tale to be told and heard. And since the summer is rather chilly in Finland (but it is still warmer than during average winter! There are no ice coverings on lakes!) the peatfire of Ardbeg adds to the mood of this mystical night nicely.

The clues

Oils form up after a graceful wait and start creating fantastic paintings on the surface. The nose breaths fire, smoke and oil to the air. It is strong, untamed and a bit sweet too. But the sheer power is very present and filling the surroundings with it’s promise.

The start of the palate is easy, but soon it roars through the mouth and mind. The power is overwhelming. At the first tries, this reminded me of the legendary Octomore Orpheus, but it is not there anymore. This stands on it’s own, once it got some air to breath. Smoke is different than what I’ve encountered usually, it is indeed more pure and burning clean. Peat is not that prominent and it feels less manufactured. There are sweetness and bubbling fruits that make randomly some appearance.

After a few sips, your mouth starts to get adjusted to this one’s power. There are more complexity than before, layers of rapidly changing tastes that I can’t catch in time. Sea, the salt, roars in large tidal waves. The Mediterranean peppers burn with delight.

Adding a bit of water makes this a lot easier to enjoy. However, the best parts fade too much from the experience. Some rubber and sherry fruits open up and expand their world to the taste. At this stage, this has lost a lot but it is still a wonderful dram with smoke. It really depends on the mood and the company, which I would recommend. Perhaps testing with both is occasionally a good option.
The finish is long and a really pleasant. Peatsmoke remains with fruits for a long time. The oil residues cover the mouth nicely, releasing the great particles for me to enjoy for ages. The long wait, before moving to the next dram, is recommended to be fully experience this magical uisge.
  
If you can, test this one out. This is a real rarity and a different, enjoyable, one. These days Ardbeg single casks are usually out of my price tag, so this was a really the surprise of this summer! 

My first encounter with Ardbeg Auriverdes

After a long journey, I arrived at my pilgrimage. The ancient location, hidden in a corner of famous tale filled streets, was not visible until I was told directions and how I would find it. After steps, which I didn’t count, I arrived and opened the door with a eager rush. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was ready to bow in honor of the location and it’s people. What happened, I did not expect. It was a warm welcome and there was no need to explain the reason. They already knew, why I was there. This, at Angle Terre, is where I got my lips to taste the mystical Auriverdes the first time.

It took me a while, to get used to the nose and the body. Auriverdes was not just a average potion, you get from a common hold. No, instead it is a golden sickle, that silently cuts the ancient oaken branch. It is the sound that a few hundred years old oak makes, when it’s leaf filled extremist drops onto the earth and makes a crumble that echoes throughout the still forest. It is the ripple on the pond’s water that wakes the ancient fish of pray from it’s century long sleep. It is the hunt and not the pray.

The nose contains pleasantly smoke, sweetness and.. mocha. It is rare for me, to find out that this is a dram that really has the characteristics of a coffee. The nose is not strong at first, but if you move back and forth between different drams.. you notice it’s strength. Later the tar emerges real nicely.

The body is soft at first, but it gets more army behind it’s message than you would expect. There is smoke, spices, coffee again and the toasted wood. It is the chest of treasures, that was forgotten to the cave for eons and it is not presented to the sunlight the first time since. Dazzling gold, pearls and also some rusty blades.

The Auriverdes is a iconic whisky, I concur to this what many have said already. The nose, the body, the colour and the finish are all great and what you would expect, if you explained whisky to somebody new. Is this a good or bad thing? It is up to you. I do like Auriverdes – based on this tasting – a lot already. It is the not the last note, but it carries the song forward.

On the second sip the sweet coffee is much more strongly present. It is bold, fierce and at the same time it is tame and gentle. Smoke and burned fields follow the lead. This is a nice experience!

Ardbeg Day 2014

Today is the annual international Ardbeg Day. Last year this special occasion was called the Ardbog Day, but I recon that was just a sidestep in a history and a short break in time and space continuum that was corrected after..beforewards.

This year's Ardbeg Day dram is the Auriverdes - which I did not unfortunately had a pleasure to get to know today nor earlier. I'll get back to that whisky when I have it in my glencairn.

Enjoy your Ardbeg - and let it take to the new experiences and unravel stories of smoke and tar covered legends!

Ardbeg Auriverdes scores on the Ardbeg day 31.5.2014

The next Ardbeg day is approaching. If you recall, the last year it was named the Ardbog day but I guess it was not a lasting tradition. Now it is about Ardbeg again. The day is 31th of May. Around that time (or during that day) the next Ardbeg is released to hit the goals again. This time it is called Auriverdes, auri for the golden whisky and verde for the green bottle. Also, there seems to be a some kind of football theme present. As with Ardbeg, it is not just a ordinary soccer but the peated version of it: Peat Football. They will be arranging some such events around the globe. As for Finland, we are also known to swamp soccer, check this Google results for photos: https://www.google.fi/search?q=swamp+soccer+finland&source=lnms&tbm=isch

So, as usual with the Ardbeg, there should be a plenty of peat in the dram. Also Ardbeg tells about the toasted cask lids, that should result giving a mocha coffee flavor and some creamy vanilla. It does sound indeed strange, but of course – as with all Ardbegs – I do wait with anticipation to get to taste this one too. It also follows the rough strength of previous special editions: 49.9%.

Photo linked from Whiskycorner.co.uk site:

That Whiskycorner.co.uk site also has more info about this one. I especially like the tasting notes they already have:

Taste: Coffee grounds pass to smoked root vegetables, while maple-cured bacon collides with hot-smoked salmon

Finish:  A lingering, smoky vanilla note

Check their full article here: http://whiskycorner.co.uk/news/ardbeg-release-auriverdes/

Also some Dutch site has a label photo and their blog entry: http://blog.fransmuthert.nl/2014/03/26/ardbeg-auriverdes/

OMC Ardbeg 36YO: 60th Anniversary Bottling

I must say, it is not often when I get to taste more aged smoky Islay drams. And especially older Ardbegs are a rarity in my world. When I got a chance to acquire a sample of 36 years old Ardbeg, and the price was reasonable – relatively – so it was a straw I had to catch. I am a huge fan and enthusiast of smoky and peaty whisky, so the expectations are considerably high.
Small sample bottles are a two-way blade. Is 3cl enough for you to enjoy it? Purchasing a whole bottle would be a risky game, in case you don’t enjoy it. Has the sample gotten already a lots of oxygen? What if you want to share that with somebody? You do you get enough to get the real taste, or not? However, my conclusion is that I rather take a small sample, than forfeit it totally. When it comes to learning new tastes, getting to have some rarity in your Glencairn or just experimenting the samples are a great, and less expensive, way to move forward.
There is a lots of information in the label: The Old Malt Cask Commemorative bottling Ardbeg Aged 36 years, 60th Anniversary Bottling 43.5%. Searching around, I found that this has been distilled 1973 and bottled 2009. There has been only 94 bottles, and the price has been quite high.
But going down to the business. The nose. The nose is amazing. It is kind, aged, contains lots of wood, some fruits and sweetness. Thinking that these malts saw the daylight 1973, it is amazing to dig deep into the history. Very pleasant, very smooth and contains a classic manners. Nothing like Ardbegs these days, I would not recognize the distillery from the nose.

The first mouthful, reveals some Ardbeg elements but yet it is very far away from the modern version. It has spice, sweetness, absolutely no bitterness: this is extra smooth with smoothness on top of it! This is something you’d think an well aged whisky would taste like! There is no bite, just royal dignity and honor. The spice and the taste afterwards lingers in the mouth with style. Second and third mouthfuls only deepen the experience. This is a dram of Kings and rulers. While this is not Ardbeg as I have gotten to know it, this has a lots of story and history bound into it.


There is spice, fruits and lots of wood. Not wood like in those wood-whiskies (Darach-Ur, Triple-Wood etc) but this has much more in it. There is not just the oaken vanilla, but oak itself. Dark, ancient oak, that has seen wars and happiness. It has been bound to the barrels for years and eons, it has sailed the seas and came home. Finally it entered as a barrel that contained a excellent dram those Scottish wizards made.
In the after taste, the oak is strongly present with the spice. The taste lingers on the mouth for a long time and provides a pleasant feeling.There is nothing harsh in here, just pure whisky heaven. While I do love strong and hard whisky, this one gets a special mentioning in my books. One of the best I’ve tasted, showing me a totally different world in whisky tastes. The story adds to it, yes, but so it should. This is not a laboratory, this is the world of men.
I am very glad I got my hands onto this sample.

Something about world of the spice and smoke

I kept on walking the journey, which took me deeper and deeper into world of tastes. There has been many occasion, since the strawberry stop, that had stopped me to stare the moon and wonder what’s next. How would this and that cope with those delicious ingredients? Eventually, I took the right turn and dived deep into the bog with something I had stolen from the shamans. No, no mushrooms but something we at the mansion use often to give our food some meaning. Garlic, jalapeno and chili.

For this journey, I chose three smoking and smoldering drams: Lagavulin 12 yo Cask Strength 2009, the Ultimate Caol Ila 2000 Cask Strengh single cask and Ardbeg Corryvreckan. All strong and wielding the steel of powerness. These drams hack, slash and take you to the outer limits. Especially Caol Ila, which is very potent (63.7%), takes you to the another plane of existence.

The Garlic

The first encounter was with garlic, enhanced with herbal spells. Lagavulin was perfect and their both tastes got a boost. Smoke and garlic work so well together, while keeping vampire’s off your neck. Caol Ila was strong in taste, even so much that it somewhat shadowed garlic. They do work together, but as a pointy stick. You get the first impression, then the overwhelming magic fills your nerves – and if you are a nightwalker you will flee with awe. Not bad, but with this dram you won’t taste anything of the food and garlic..

The last was one of my favorite Uisge Beathas. The Ardbeg Corryvreckan. Filled with peat, smoke and tar I expected garlic to be blown away. And I was not wrong. Like Lagavulin, Ardbeg complemented garlic with wondrous tales and beautiful poems.

I must say, that if you are looking for a drink to go along with food that has a lots of garlic in it, you might want to consider Ardbeg or Lagavulin to go with it. Overall, I dare to say that peatsmoke does go very well with garlic.

The Chili

Next was the test of strength with chili and jalapeno. I don’t know what chili it was, but something that we had at home and it is handled with care. Strong spice, none the less. I served myself jalapenos and chili, finding the ultimate border with both of them. Jalapeno is usually found on Mexican food, but we tend to use them a lot on many servings.

Lagavulin works, as expected, with jalapenos nicely. It burns somewhat, but in a good way. Taking it with chili, will bring some sweat to your skin – along with fiery sensation on your tongue. But unlike I feared, it is a not a Drawmij’s Instant Death. Instead, these two fighters work together and face a force far greater they could do together.

Caol Ila gives no mercy and will cut you into small pieces. Since I had already tasted the Lagavulin and chili, this is a real killer. Jalapeno + chili accompanied by Lagavulin and then jalapeno and Caol Ila it gets you to hell and then to very high euphoria. Caol Ila’s demeanor and intimidation do create new worlds. After a while, the peak withers away but there is still strong battle going on. Recommended only for those seeking how to break the sense-limit. Funny is that was just the jalapeno. Taking some chili on top of it, did not create the dragon’s all-devouring breath I feared. Yes, the taste and sensation is very strong but with a successful saving throw you can take it and experience the bliss.

Finally the everswirling maelstrom of Corryvreckan. First, with jalapeno you don’t get anything extreme. It is like they are meant together. After the first sip, if you wait, you will get the real taste and burn. With chili, note that this tasting is done by one sitting, you get the dragon’s breath. Ardbeg does boost the experience, gets tears into your eyes and takes you to a trip across all levels of Abyss and Elysium. Tears of pleasure, tears of pain and burn. Smoke fills your eyes and lips can start a forest fire if you just bend low and kiss the tree's root.  I was flying and plowing at the same time.

The End game

Well, now that some of the tears have gone there is time for the analysis. I make it short. If you want to enchant the taste of chili, use smoke whisky. The thin line is somewhere at 60%. Caol Ila will send you deep down, while Lagavulin can be much more gentle. Ardbeg gets stronger as time passes, so Corryvreckan is an excellent sensation bringer.

Next time I offer spicy or highly garlic food to my friends, they will have to drink a dram of peatsmoke with it.  Saying no is not allowed, or they will end up hungry and thirsty.

Ardbeg Ardbog emerges from the bog

When you look into the past, you can find out that the official story does not tell the whole picture. It looks into facts and figures, but often makes assumptions based on modern world. If you dig into the bog, find the peat, and find some artifacts you can weave a story that may not be true, but it can be a lot more interesting than the one you find in history books.

Deep inside the peat, in the bog, a sword emerges. Worn by the time and the fighting, it is now deformed but it’s fine blade still wears the marks of victory. The taste of fury, bronze slash of sunshine, cries of havoc and battle are evident deep inside the sword’s backbone. A deep cut into the peat, as a sign of battlefield mastery. Tall tales echo in the long gone campfires. Smoke and the frying meat, fish and onions bring in the feast. What would better accompany this than a dram of ancient drink?

It was made in the bog. In the peat, the taste grew and evolved. Nicely complex taste, sweetness and smoke, ash and delicate touches. Some say this tastes like a burned rubber, but I do know that taste and smell, and this definitely was not it. There is a bit of sherry and a taste of pit fight. Ardbog is harsh, and it is not a drink for those who are afraid of the truth. This is a pure ancient blast, and it has finally reached the modern ages. It is easy to imagine where the elementary peat was sleeping, amongst stories that were over 1000 years old, amongst forgotten bones and jewels, just on top of those mammoth skeletons. This is a celebration to the time gone!

Some say, Ardbog keeps on repeating it’s taste every year. Some say, it is but a blast of peat and smoke. To the latter, I say you can keep on drinking old Jack for all I care. I enjoy peat and smoke to it’s fullest. As for the other subject, I surely have enjoyed Alligator and Galileo, and I surely enjoy Ardbog. They are different, yet cousins from the same mother. Close, but not triplets. The most important fact is, that Ardbog is a source for stories. The taste gives a gale to imagination, spurring the tale forward into the night sky like sparks of a smoking bonfire. It is like a dragon brushing it’s teeth with a unfortunate wandered, he was too careless and got on the way. You feel the energy and the emotion put into this, and yet it has been tamed by those years in the bog.

This is not Corryvreckan. This is not Uigeadail. This is Ardbog. It really depends how and where you drink this, what is the order of drinks. This can be a excellent top, or suffer as a bottom under a more powerful old fire drake. There is complexity in the taste, but also the stingness when you drink small knives. The oiliness smooths it, and gives out a splendid aftertaste! Slainté

It is the Ardbog day!

June 1st. The Ardbog day.
Unfortunately I don’t have any Ardbog-bottle images since I didn’t get my hands on them yet, but for the Ardbog’s celebration here are some other Ardbeg photos! Take a dram of Ardbog for me!

The Ardbog day is closing in..

It is about the old and ancient secret. How the peat beats it’s way through the land. Through the rock and rain. Generations and millennia's pass and fade into the pages of history. Long ago, a prehistoric man walked on a plains and mountains. Leaving his mark. Forging the sword and avoiding those mighty mammoths. It was a perilous time but they had the fire, that burns. I have no doubt, that in those times they thought of the things that come. They did not know years as we do, but the passage of time was in the form of the moon, of the sun and of those brilliant stars lighting the dark night. Runes, stories and tall tales were born.

They had their instincts, strength and skill. They knew how to hunt, how to prey and how to fight. Perhaps we share something of that, buried inside our dna. Every time we start a fire, smell smoke and feel the peat, we get into the past gone. Sitting by tarp, listening to the nature, looking a those flames. That is when you feel serenity and the surroundings. For a moment, there is no modern world but the feeling of something older, something that changes the nature of the man.
 
The taste is rich, imagination spurring and contains a lots of smoke and fire. The peat promises a long lasting fever, that will make you want to taste it again.
The Ardbog day is June 1st.

Savuisia uutisia ja huhuja

Kuuleviin korviin osuu kaikenlaista. Paras uutinen on kuitenkin uusi Ardbeg, joka ilmestyy kesäkuun ensimmäisenä päivänä, Ardbogin päivänä!

(kuva kopioitu täältä: http://justmalt.blogspot.fi/2012/12/ardbegardbog-islay-single-malt-scotch.html ). Nyt vain pitää toivoa, että etiketti on aito. Netin kuriirit kun voivat välittää myös väärää tietoa. Ardbog en sijaan on kuultu tislaamolta saakka, joten sitä on lupa odottaa kieli pitkällä. Ehkä bog viittaa siihen, että turpeiden osalta tulee myös vielä tietoja ja tarinaa.

(kuva: Ardbeg)

Aikaisemmin kesäkuun ensimmäinen tunnettiin Ardbegin päivänä, joten jotain merkittävää on odotettavissa kun nimikin on vaihdettu.

Muita huhuja on liikkunut, että Bruichladdichilta ei paljoa uutta tänä vuonna tulisi ulos. Se liittyy ilmeisesti viimevuotiseen omistajavaihdokseen. Toivon, ettei tämä huhu pitäisi paikkaansa lainkaan vaan esimerkiksi Octomore 6.1. pääsisi näkemään päivänvalon. Tämä jää nähtäväksi.

Arctic Whisky Tasting

Suomi on arktinen maa. Talvella sen tiedostaa purevasti, kuten ehkä monet ovat havainnoineetkin, kun pakkanen pistelee poskilla ja ilma on kirpeän rapsahkka. Miksei siis kokeilisi muutamia viskejä, mitä ne tuumaavat pakkasesta? Tietysti jotain asiaankuuluvia kuviakin piti napsaista.

Ardbeg 10 osoittautui loistavaksi, niin kuvauksen kannalta kuin maultaankin. Lähes jäisenä se luo uuden, omanlaisen maisemansa jossa sekoittuvat terva, savu ja ankara kylmyys joka muuttuu kuumotukseksi pian. Muita mielenkiintoisuuksiakin tuli illan kuluessa vastaan. Black Art III osoittautui paljon paremmaksi jäisenä, mutta kuitenkin ilman jäitä. Tammi tuli paljon paremmin esille maussa ja sherry sai vähän loitonnusta. Monta askelta parempaan suuntaan, melkein jopa siihen Mustaan Magiaan, missä Black Art II vakuutti minut suveneeristi.

Bunnahabhain nuori Cruach-Mhona toimi myöskin mainiosti kylmänä. Turve ja savu tulivat hienosti esille, eikä todellakaan mikään hassumpi kokemus. Caol Ilan Distiller’s Edition sen sijaan on liian hienostunut maultaan, eikä kylmyys oikein ollut toimiva yhdistelmä.
Kokeilut jatkuvat tällä saralla. Aavistelisin, että mm sherryiset parantuvat omassa suussa paljon tällä, kun pahin sherryterä tylsytetään ja saadaan muitakin makuja esille. Osa taas kärsinee totaalisen makujen häviämisen, vähän kuin ulkona juodessa viskiä kuksasta – usein siinä jää jäljelle vain alkoholin maku.
Hyvänä puolena, nyt on ainakin sopivat kelit tehdä erinäisiä arktisia kokeiluja viskien saralla ulkona. Siinä jää –5 bar vähän toiseksi, kun aletaan Suomen pakkaslukemia mittarista katsomaan. Enää puuttuvat vain jäästä muotoillut viskilasit ja iglu ulkona..

(varokaa äkkinäisiä lumivyöryjä!)