1975 Ardbeg The Ultimate Single Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Islay, Scotland

1975 Ardbeg 43% Abv Bottled 1999

Colour: Pale gold. 

Nose: It’s the gentler side of Ardbeg, a dry and sooty/smoky whisky. Soot, coal, fresh butter, burnt papers and fresh walnuts. It has superb combination of bitter oranges, walnuts, tar, almonds, bonfire, putty and liquorice. Also a little humus, fresh mushrooms, touches of lime, lemon grass, kumquats, earth, old pu-erh tea… Humus indeed. Huge complexity, 

Mouth: Very good mouth feel, great zestiness, huge smoke , many herbs, nuts, tar, liquorice, a little pine sap, cough drops , shellfish… Let’s not mince our words: this is as far as any whisky at 46% vol. can go. Anchovies, brine, marzipan, walnuts, tar, liquorice, cider apples, bitter almonds, smoked tea, pu-erh tea, eucalyptus lozenges… And so many other things. Perfect mouth feel, great body (and plenty of legs – wait, no…)Excellent. 

Fnish: Long, chiselled, salty, smoky, almondy…Very briny and ‘kippery’. Some lemon marmalade. 

Comments: Excellent, really. Maybe I find these vintages even more appealing because they’re vanishing from the market but I feel this one is even better than the 1978/1997.