Ardbeg Spectacular

The Ardbeg Committee was founded in 2000, born from a fan club of sorts started in 19999. Ardbeg was officially founded in 1815, though it had been producing whisky there for over almost twenty years there previously. It shuttered in the early 1990s and was purchased by Glenmorangie in 1997 and reopened, with the Ardbeg Committee soon following to foster love of the brand and make sure the distillery never closed again. While the Committee offers communications and solidarity for the affecionados, there has also been yearly whisky releases under the Committee banner. The 2024 Committee offering is the Ardbeg Spectacular, which was matured in a blend of ex-bourbon and ex-port casks. This is different than past releases that made use of cask finishing. The circus connection is unknown.

Distillery: Ardbeg
Region: Islay
Age: NAS
Strength: 46%
Price: $129.99
Maturation: ex-bourbon and ex-port casks
Location: Port Ellen
Nose: Brine, date, peat, iodine, apple, smoke, wine, lemon
Palate: Sugar, peat, smoke, barley
Finish: Ash, raisin, brine

Comments: No water needed.

Adam – Brine rolls out gently on the nose, as gentle as any Ardbeg can be. There are definitely notes of lemon and peat, as I’d expect, but there’s also some light apples. Just a gorgeous nose that really invites you in rather than shouting. Maybe a whisper of grape must. Going back to the nose after a few sips bring out the fruit a bit more, particular dates. The palate is this whirlpool of smoke and peat intertwined with a sweeter element. Chef’s kiss. These are the elements of Ardbeg I love, and the port casks provide some clear seasoning here that compliments the core elements rather than competes with them. The casks turn the peat just a titch sweet, which is a delightful turn of the usual profile. The brine from the nose comes back on the finish, with a little bit of fruit from the port, almost a raisin. The Spectacular is a balanced, inviting dram for those who love Islay whiskies but want something they maybe haven’t quite had there before. Ardbeg in partciular doesn’t go into overt wine casking, unlike their sibling distillery Glenmorangie.

Ben – There’s so much happening at the same time. I can see why the Ardbeg Spectacular is circus-themed. What is the next act? In the old circuses there were three rings – some had five – and you had choose what you wanted to watch. An overwhelming experience of multiple things going on at once. This is what’s happening on my tongue. First there’s this funny heat, then the smoke and the barley and ash. Somewhere the vegetal peat steps forward and says “hey, I’m who you came for” and it’s right, I did come for that. The vegetal peat flavor hangs out on your tongue longer into the finish and I like how long it stays.

Bill – This has the sweeter side of peat. Sort of like the difference between horse dung and cow dung. One is distinctly sweeter than the other. The sugar shows up on the palate. I really enjoy that. The second nose really has the port speaking loudly. There’s a second nose of lemon chiffon too. And not fresh, but chiffon that’s been in your refrigerator for three or four days.

Mike – The nose on the Ardbeg Spectacular is light for me. I’m not getting a lot of smoke or peat. I’m getting sweetness, almost a Speyside apple. There is a little bit of the smoke but I do get more of the sweetness behind it. It may be weird but I’d say even the sweeter side of iodine. The smoke shows up eventually but it’s subtler. It is not overly port-y or finished on the palate, which I like. I don’t like an overly-finished whisky. If I get port notes, great. But don’t give me port rendered as whisky. But I’m here for the Ardbeg smoke and peat and brine, and the added sweetness of the finish is nice.