Being in Texas, there are some smooth whiskeys but....made a trip to Scotland this year and changed my drink. Tried Highland Park 12 Year single malt, heavy peated smoke whiske, same texture as you described Wee Beastie. I also brought back The Glenlivet 12 year and Gordon and MacPhail13 year that I have yet to open. Glad I found y'alls channel today.
The Wee Beastie is a solid value Islay. Sugar Kitty mentioned the Machir Bay which I second. If you're looking for a peated, sherry finished single malt the Kilchoman Sanaig is worth a punt. And yes, Peter is a stand up guy with a great channel.
Found this for cheap in Texas a several months ago. Loved it so much I bought two more bottles. For the price (in Texas - seen it for much more in other states), it can't be beat!
I don't drink a lot of anything besides bourbon - I just prefer that kind of whisky - but I do occasionally drink other stuff. I've only had one peated Scotch, and as it happens I'm a-sippin' on it right now - Laphroaig 10. We'll see whether y'all have the same juice in your glasses. 🥃🏴 2:52 You do know, Erin, that salt is one of the two major food groups. 🧂🙂
As your notes indicated Ardbeg 5 is finished in sherry casks, similar to Lagavulin, which I think is what you picked up on. I have a bottle and absolutely love it, absolutely agree it's the best value in peated Scottish whisky: full of flavour and the honey sweetness I get marries the smoke so well. I think that sherry finish gives the 5 a different angle to the 10 in that respect. And kudos to Ardbeg for putting out a 5 year age statement (which could be offputting to some) instead of labelling it NAS which is a level of transparency rare in Scotch.
It's one of the reasons to have several samples to try together. If you had an Ardbeg 10, a Wee Beastie, a Port Charlotte 10, and Laphroaig 10, one of them tends to get very out classed easily. And yet the price on all of them is not that different. One bottle of Islay peated that is well cheaper than any of them is a Kilchoman Machir Bay. With a clean peat, and a lower price, I think the Value King is very much in dispute. 😺
Logged in to say hells yeah to the one day as a lion (wild international) reference. Always watch yall, love it even more. And what a thumping tune, amazing drumwork. Props.
Ive been eyeing this for a while now. I've been waffling between this and tbe Ardbeg 10 as my first Ardbeg purchase. You definitely pushed me towards the Wee Beastie.
@tiredoffools8929 Glen Scotia Victoriana is indeed spectacular! I found it this summer while vacationing in Scotland. This is a must buy if I can ever run across it here in the U.S.
Lagavulan 8 is much more refined and also quite affordable. I love the older Ardbegs. Wee beastie is definitely a punch in the nose. It needs a few more years in the barrel IMO. 🥃
Great video! I've been drinking peated scotch for at least 20 years and only recently discovered Ledaig 10 year. I gotta say it is now my favorite entry-level peated scotch. Have you ever tried it?
I rarely put water in my drams but for whatever reason a few weeks ago i did put a few drops of water in my dram of the Ardbeg Wee Beestie and let me say... yummy!!! Try it! I like it without water but on that day it was so delicious with a few drops of water.
I find with peaty whisky’s I need to have had a rich meal a few hours before to enjoy it the most and get past the smoke element. I’ve currently been drinking/demolishing a bottle of Laphroaig 10 Sherry oak which is more briny and less smoky 👍 at a similar price (in the Uk)
Laphroaig 10 Sherry Oak is great! Often ppl are scared of the Laphroaig brand, but I've introduced this in a blind and a few non peated heads actually loved it.
I missed the sherry oak when it was on offer which annoyed me, but Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength you can usually get for around £55 here and in my opinion it blows everything else at that price point in whisky (let alone peated Islay) out of the water for flavour and complexity. But you definitely have to like the Laphroaig profile of course.
@ that’s a shame, the Sherry was on Amazon for the past couple of weeks at £50, £65 is a bit out of the range of what I’ll pay. Agree about the Cask Strength although not one for the faint of heart
My brother loves Wee Beastie and I like it but I prefer the 10. I think Uigeadail might be the best whiskey made. Ardbeg is my favorite distillery. Would love to go tour the distillery.
Love the international content as I am currently trying to expand into the international world of whiskey. Recently picked up a bottle of Redbreast 12 and like it quite a bit. Haven't really any scotch though. Any suggestions on some non-peated and lightly peated scotch's I should give a go as a primarily bourbon drinker?
RB12 is great! I’d say try the Cask Strength too. It’s so flavorful. It’s hard to go wrong with Bruichladdich Classic Laddie and some of the classic Speyside Scotches like Glenlivet 12, Glemorangie 12, GlenDronach 12, etc.
I greatly enjoy all of the Ardbeg expressions that I've been able to try! I passed on the Wee Beastie in the past because I was always afraid it would be a harsher version of the 10yr and only a few dollars cheaper. I'll have to pick one up now! Edit: spelling
For Islay bottlings the wee Beastie is a bargain as it is only 5 years old. If you want the REAL value king of peated Scotches get a bottle of Black Bottle. It is a blend from all regions of scotland and has Islay whisky in it (Caol Ila I think), so it is very complex and flavourful and would be less smoky than the wee beastie as it is a blend of peated and unpeated. and the Black Bottle is only about 1/3 the cost of a Wee beastie bottle. Downsides are its 40% and has a screw top....but at 20 bucks a bottle you wont find a more budget friendly tasty daily sipper.
I've never had anything more brutally peated than the WEE Beastie. Can't taste anything else but burnt sea rope. Also it stinks up the whole room while you're drinking it. I used up the bottle I had marinating my steaks for grilling.
Just goes to show how palates differ. It’s definitely a peat-forward whisky, not to Octomore levels, but the young age really does make the smokiness shine.
It makes me happy you both liked this. For the price and the young age it's a fantastic bottle that packs a punch. Cheers!
Good job on this one! Made for a great video.
Being in Texas, there are some smooth whiskeys but....made a trip to Scotland this year and changed my drink. Tried Highland Park 12 Year single malt, heavy peated smoke whiske, same texture as you described Wee Beastie. I also brought back The Glenlivet 12 year and Gordon and MacPhail13 year that I have yet to open.
Glad I found y'alls channel today.
Highland Park is great! Cheers and thanks for tuning in!
The Wee Beastie is a solid value Islay. Sugar Kitty mentioned the Machir Bay which I second. If you're looking for a peated, sherry finished single malt the Kilchoman Sanaig is worth a punt. And yes, Peter is a stand up guy with a great channel.
Kilchoman Senaig is a great suggestion
Found this for cheap in Texas a several months ago. Loved it so much I bought two more bottles. For the price (in Texas - seen it for much more in other states), it can't be beat!
I don't drink a lot of anything besides bourbon - I just prefer that kind of whisky - but I do occasionally drink other stuff. I've only had one peated Scotch, and as it happens I'm a-sippin' on it right now - Laphroaig 10. We'll see whether y'all have the same juice in your glasses. 🥃🏴
2:52 You do know, Erin, that salt is one of the two major food groups. 🧂🙂
Got this today at Total WIne in TX for $40. Sipping it now. So freaking good.
As your notes indicated Ardbeg 5 is finished in sherry casks, similar to Lagavulin, which I think is what you picked up on. I have a bottle and absolutely love it, absolutely agree it's the best value in peated Scottish whisky: full of flavour and the honey sweetness I get marries the smoke so well. I think that sherry finish gives the 5 a different angle to the 10 in that respect. And kudos to Ardbeg for putting out a 5 year age statement (which could be offputting to some) instead of labelling it NAS which is a level of transparency rare in Scotch.
Wee Beastie is one of my favorite peated Scotch whiskies. Thanks for the review!!
It's one of the reasons to have several samples to try together. If you had an Ardbeg 10, a Wee Beastie, a Port Charlotte 10, and Laphroaig 10, one of them tends to get very out classed easily. And yet the price on all of them is not that different. One bottle of Islay peated that is well cheaper than any of them is a Kilchoman Machir Bay. With a clean peat, and a lower price, I think the Value King is very much in dispute. 😺
Good suggestions. For my palate, PC10 is the more complex and balanced one in that list. And delicious.
I've been going back and forth deciding on whether or not to get this. Now that I know you two love this, I'm taking the dive.
Logged in to say hells yeah to the one day as a lion (wild international) reference. Always watch yall, love it even more. And what a thumping tune, amazing drumwork. Props.
Ive been eyeing this for a while now. I've been waffling between this and tbe Ardbeg 10 as my first Ardbeg purchase. You definitely pushed me towards the Wee Beastie.
Such a good bottle. I’ll add under 100 bucks, the value of glen scotia Victoriana is hard to beat.
Glen Scotia Victoriana is not under $50, but can be found under $100 and it would be great for you to experience.
@tiredoffools8929 Glen Scotia Victoriana is indeed spectacular! I found it this summer while vacationing in Scotland. This is a must buy if I can ever run across it here in the U.S.
Lagavulan 8 is much more refined and also quite affordable. I love the older Ardbegs. Wee beastie is definitely a punch in the nose. It needs a few more years in the barrel IMO. 🥃
Great video! I've been drinking peated scotch for at least 20 years and only recently discovered Ledaig 10 year. I gotta say it is now my favorite entry-level peated scotch. Have you ever tried it?
We’ve not but I think we have a sample in the pool!
You're making my mouth water. I can't wait for xmas so i can open my Laphroaig 25!❤
I rarely put water in my drams but for whatever reason a few weeks ago i did put a few drops of water in my dram of the Ardbeg Wee Beestie and let me say... yummy!!! Try it!
I like it without water but on that day it was so delicious with a few drops of water.
I find with peaty whisky’s I need to have had a rich meal a few hours before to enjoy it the most and get past the smoke element. I’ve currently been drinking/demolishing a bottle of Laphroaig 10 Sherry oak which is more briny and less smoky 👍 at a similar price (in the Uk)
Laphroaig 10 Sherry Oak is great! Often ppl are scared of the Laphroaig brand, but I've introduced this in a blind and a few non peated heads actually loved it.
I missed the sherry oak when it was on offer which annoyed me, but Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength you can usually get for around £55 here and in my opinion it blows everything else at that price point in whisky (let alone peated Islay) out of the water for flavour and complexity. But you definitely have to like the Laphroaig profile of course.
@ that’s a shame, the Sherry was on Amazon for the past couple of weeks at £50, £65 is a bit out of the range of what I’ll pay. Agree about the Cask Strength although not one for the faint of heart
I just looked this bottle up locally in Tulsa Ok. $48 I'll be snagging one REAL soon. 🥃👍👍
My brother loves Wee Beastie and I like it but I prefer the 10. I think Uigeadail might be the best whiskey made. Ardbeg is my favorite distillery. Would love to go tour the distillery.
Ardbeg is a great distillery and Uigeadail is our favorite!
Love the international content as I am currently trying to expand into the international world of whiskey. Recently picked up a bottle of Redbreast 12 and like it quite a bit. Haven't really any scotch though. Any suggestions on some non-peated and lightly peated scotch's I should give a go as a primarily bourbon drinker?
RB12 is great! I’d say try the Cask Strength too. It’s so flavorful. It’s hard to go wrong with Bruichladdich Classic Laddie and some of the classic Speyside Scotches like Glenlivet 12, Glemorangie 12, GlenDronach 12, etc.
@ Will do! Thanks for the suggestions!
@@alexadams8241There's a Glenfiddich 14 that has lots of bourbon notes. Very affordable too. I think that's a great transition bottle.
I greatly enjoy all of the Ardbeg expressions that I've been able to try! I passed on the Wee Beastie in the past because I was always afraid it would be a harsher version of the 10yr and only a few dollars cheaper. I'll have to pick one up now!
Edit: spelling
Ardbeg 10 is great for sure. Wee Beastie is a bit of a different animal and the peat really shines at the younger age. Cheers!
I’ve heard this described as smoky gummy bears and I think that fits.
Sounds perfect for me.
Gonna try find one
I really like Ardbeg - I get sweet BBQ sauce flavor from their profile.
I love me some Ardbeg.
I know the title isn't a spoiler but it also kind of was for me
Shoot I have passed on this many times. I will have to get a pour and check it out.
A waft, You better put on that beanie. WHISKEY CHEERS 😎
I like this but it's very young. I like Ardbeg 10 a little better but it costs more.
I can find this for $44.99 in my area.
off topic but just curious - noticing your accents, what state are you in and is that the state you both grew up in?
We’re in Tennessee. Born and raised for me (Josh). Erin is from all over but Tennessee and Ohio were home for most of her formative years.
Having a craving for salt is also a sign of being a hyper taster.
For Islay bottlings the wee Beastie is a bargain as it is only 5 years old. If you want the REAL value king of peated Scotches get a bottle of Black Bottle. It is a blend from all regions of scotland and has Islay whisky in it (Caol Ila I think), so it is very complex and flavourful and would be less smoky than the wee beastie as it is a blend of peated and unpeated. and the Black Bottle is only about 1/3 the cost of a Wee beastie bottle. Downsides are its 40% and has a screw top....but at 20 bucks a bottle you wont find a more budget friendly tasty daily sipper.
It used to be 43% abv. They dropped it to 40%? Also, it used to be only Islay malts in the blend back in the good old days.
🎉🎉🎉
I've never had anything more brutally peated than the WEE Beastie. Can't taste anything else but burnt sea rope. Also it stinks up the whole room while you're drinking it. I used up the bottle I had marinating my steaks for grilling.
Just goes to show how palates differ. It’s definitely a peat-forward whisky, not to Octomore levels, but the young age really does make the smokiness shine.
This bottle sounds like a Beastie boys song title