Just wanted to say thank you for this clear-eyed review. Some people are so wrapped up in narratives about the decline of the committee releases, and so angry about the price, that I think they fail to actually taste the whisky. I bought a bottle of this and after the first dram, I think your review is spot on. Is it too expensive? Yes. But is it good? Also yes.
Thanks Nicholas. Yes, I think it's very easy to write this off because of the automatic bad value. Always best to judge it by aroma and taste alone though and then everyone can decide if the price is acceptable to them. I do think this would make a great addition to the core range at a lower price though. Low ish age statement, £50, 50% and give it an old timey name along the lines of Victoriana or Illicit Stills. Would be good!
You gave the review like I would have had if I had it but I’ve had it with Ardbeg…unless I find it for 50% off😅 Having said that… I recently cracked open the Ardbeg 10 that came in the Ardbeg decorative warehouse tin back in 2017. All I can say is …simply sublime. Probably the best Ardbeg 10 I ever had. Great review echoing my sentiments. Cheers 🥃 Thanks for taking one for the team for science.🤓
If you find it for 50% off do let me know 😂 still wouldn't be too much of a bargain but it'd be a more sensible price! All of these special releases are really just fluff, marketing, curios and oddities that surround that perfect 10. Cheers John 🥃
Sounds like you've been following CR for a while 🙂 I think my favourite has to be fermutation. Largely because it's just so weird. Different is always good. Cheers 🥃
I fell into the Ardbeg hype when I first got into whisky in 2015 and now have 6 committee releases (scorch,perpetuum (2) supernova,drum, and dark cove.) which I don’t think I could enjoy and drink at the price . My husband used to buy a bottle and so did 1 so that we had a bottle open and a bottle spare when first was finished . This was before I realised what happens with the price as soon as it’s released . So I have enjoyed many .. dark cove being my favourite . Just can’t bring myself to buy them anymore . Sounds like a decent bottling though 😊
I think that's it. None of these Committee Releases are priced in such a way that you can just buy, drink and enjoy them. There was a time when we didn't have to be so precious about pouring a dram! Cheers 🥃
Wow. So now I'm happy that I missed out on the presale. It sold out for $158 USD before tax. The general release is now $132 USD before tax. I'm not buying that one either. I'm happy this was reviewed though. Thanks for taking one for the community and I like the comparison of the Ardbeg 10 year vs. the Heavy Vapours.
I'll never wrap my mind around the reasons why the Scotch Whisky Association allows distillers to add coloring. Aiming to please (under-educated) markets that don't appreciate natural variance is, to me, a weak excuse. If a distillery produces something with a hefty ABV and no chill-filtration, then I'll guess it probably will avoid throwing a wrench into the mix by adding even a whisp of coloring. But I won't assume anything. That said, I wonder: what's the big issue with putting that simple info on the label?
Weak excuse indeed! I've said it before and I'll say it again; if people drinking wine, gin and beer can be educated that haze and variation of colour are acceptable then whisky should be no different. It might be a bit cynical of me but I feel that the number of SWA board members who make billions from selling high volumes of blended whisky probably plays a large part in continuing to allow e150a. We all know that banning colouring is the right thing to do, but to some people it's not worth risking a blip on the profits spreadsheet.
Thanks for reviewing this Ardbeg. I used to buy the committee releases when I could find them but have pretty much given up on them. Just not worth it anymore.
Many thanks for the review, but all I can say is that I'm glad it's you rather than me who has forked out for this and taken it for a spin around the block. In my opinion that's a lot of "grist" to spend on finding out the difference in taste and mouthfeel of an Ardbeg produced with or without the purifier being activated. I've just finished watching the Malt Activist's review of this bottling and he was not as keen as your good self on the merits of Heavy Vapours. You said it yourself: either buy this one at 120 GBP or 3 bottles of the Standard Ardbeg Ten. Yep, that'll be the way most punters weigh it up. But despite the gripe, I was fascinated to hear you describe the differences you found when considering what the bottling offered to the geek. For me, I'd want a more obvious difference in the mouthfeel with a decidedly enhanced viscosity due to increased oiliness. But that's just my beef. I'd be interested to try this one as a bar pour or a sample at a whisky festival but I certainly won't go chasing it. Those days are over. Many thanks again for your comprehensive and very honest review! Cheers.
Thanks Russell. I'm glad I paid for the experience. I'm the kind of person that really cares about seeing the effect of these things and of course I get to share it with all of you. Would I have paid it if I wasn't doing this channel? Possibly not. Would I pay it for a second bottle? Hell no! Do give it a try if you find it in a bar though 👍
I am actually a Committee Member and was sent an email about the time of release. However, I was in Spain at the time so missed out. I'm writing this little section even before watching your review so I can lay my cards on the table. What is going on with the abv of Ardbeg Committee whisky? The strength of this is so low at 51.2% it's hardly worth the regular version coming out at 46%. The flippers have been at it of course and it's doing the rounds at £200+ already. Aren't we all just a bit bored at this sort of thing these days? It's Ardbeg though and I do like my Ardbeg. The tasting notes are entirely predictable. What you describe is good quality peated Islay whisky particularly the type made at Ardbeg. I say that in a good way. "It's good but not worth it" is a trope for so much Ardbeg and so much whisky these days. This particular marketing exercise is past its sell by date though. The Committee Release should be 57% at least (and if not use an age statement) and cost no more than £80. That allows the follow up 'regular' version to be priced no higher than the 10. Remember what we said about the Kilchoman Machir Bay Cask Strength. Fine review as always. WT
Yeah... bad news... It's 50.2% not 51.2% 😂 I think the ABV is the biggest slap in the face. Putting the age statement on this won't change the whisky (but should have been done!). But offering the Committee Release with an extra 4.2% seems like a token gesture. In my review notes I had planned to say that it should be at least 57% (100 proof) as you said... but decided not to say it because for £120 bugger that it should be cask strength. I've been lurking on the auction sites lately, watching to see what prices are doing. My verdict: coming down but not enough! And I've seen this for sale already too. Have they no shame? I'm not sure of the legal technicalities, but I'd love to see releases like this sold in unsealed bottles to prevent flipping. Of course, it won't happen... Cheers WT 🥃
Any distillery that considers it self a "Luxury" producer is not worth buying into, in my opinion. It is up to us to decide whether or not the product is luxury.
True. Brings to mind Compass Box's This Is Not A Luxury Whisky. Which ironically was priced as a luxury whisky 😒 At least Ardbeg 10 is still great value. If they get rid of or hike the price of that all hell will break loose!
This is a available by me and I’ve held off buying, but saw ur review and said if this guy can sell me on it then I’ll give it a go. “Young Lagavulin” helped me stay the course and save my money. I’m over young peat in general and have enough. Ziveli
I appreciate the straightforward statement that you can't review whisky if you don't have whisky. For simplicity, that ranks up there with the liquor shopping experience of, "I know I don't NEED it, but it and I are both here - and it's X price - so I'm getting it." Basically, it was fate that had me buying OF100 for $13 and MM46 for $22 over the past month, even though I already had both in the closet. Now I just need that experience where I walk in and Uigeadail is $60.
Cheers for the review man. Buying it so I don't have to! I would like to journey these experimental bottlings with Ardbeg but the price is too high. If they made these committee releases 100ml bottles at a decent price so there was more to go round and not as much risk if it sucked, then maybe I'd buy some of these again.
What you're suggesting is far too sensible for most distilleries 😉 If they made 100ml bottles available, I would be all over it. I think FOMO, resale value and collection OCD is a strong part of the marketing strategy though.
Yeah a lot of greed crapping all over our hobby and passion lately. I hope that there will be some sort of core range bottling based on this. I don't see why it couldn't sell alongside the 10 for a similar price. I'd buy it. Sounds like they don't want to though 🙄
I expect that did annoy a lot of people. You could argue that they've been selling NFTs for years though. With the current price of things like Traigh Bhan how many people are actually buying it to drink? 🙄 Cheers 🥃
It's too expensive, you shouldn't have bought it! Brilliant review man thank you for biting the bullet on this one and giving us the lowdown. I'm not gonna get in to Ardbeg being way too gimmicky for the past few year but this does actually sound interesting. Like you said, if you want to learn what a purifier does, this is the ticket price for that experience, so was the case with the Fermutation. For us whisky nerds that's the appealing part, the learning experience. Hopefully I will secure a sample from somewhere. Cheers my friend!
I'm amazed it took this long for someone to say it 😂 It's a shame that it can be difficult to get Committee Release samples. I've had trouble in the past anyway. I always jump at the chance when I can though. Look forward to your thoughts if you find it. Cheers 🥃
You made a very valid point, for the money the 10 wins hands down, but for the uniqueness of distilling and maturing an Ardbeg with its purifier removed there’s no other options. This is the one and only time they did that and are not planning on ever doing it again (according to the company reps)
Yeah... they've really got us over a barrel with this one. Or is it a cask? 🤔 Being a one time thing, you only have one option if you want to taste the difference. I do wonder if they've secretly run the stills without the purifier before though. I'm not sure why they wouldn't? Although it's easy to see why they'd bill this as a one time only thing 🙂 Serge at Whiskyfun recently reviewed the 46% version of Heavy Vapours and he suggested that there have been 'many' previous batches without the purifier. I'm not sure what his source on that is though...
Why did you have to give a decent fair review? There was me saying a couple of years back I enjoyed the journey of experimenting with committee/limited edition Ardbeg releases but from here on out will be buying only the core releases , then I got myself a bottle of this with the intention of maybe in a few years selling it off. Which is something I never do btw, I buy whisky to drink not to sell on. But then there was that element of well its Ardbeg this one botttle might just pay for 3 - 4 other bottles I might have my eye on in a few years time. I was working nightshift at the time when I got the email of the release and thinking it would have been sold out quickly, as normally the case, I wasn't too fussed whether I was successful in a purchase or not. Now here I am, with the initial intention of never drinking it, and yet with the will power of insert (whatever you like here). For me whisky tasting is quite often you take a barley, yeast and water and insert an element of what? And it tastes like this why? I try my best not to judge people, and yet when you are trying to get a hold of those hard to reach bottles it can be hard as a drinker and not a flipper. I made a decision Committee releases and anything Macallan is possibly something I don't really need and yet here I am thinking what does it taste like. Flipping takes discipline - I don't know if I have it in me. I know if I open it the bottle will probably still be unfinished in 3 years time and yet there is Mrs Doyle sitting on the shoulder saying "Go on, go on, go on...."
😂 I love hearing your thought process on this. I hope you do open this and enjoy it but with the potential profit in these bottles and considering how many others are buying them to sell, we can all understand why you might not. About the fair (and fairly positive) review. I'm as annoyed as you are 😉 it would've been a relief to me in a way if this had been as underwhelming as Ardcore but it's not. Its interesting and the lack of purifier adds something. Nothing worth 3x the price of the 10 though. Cheers and thanks for watching and commenting whatever you decide to do 🥃
Hello, i bought and paid this Ardbeg regulary. But somehow they canceled my Order after a few Minutes without any Reason, so i bought a Bottling of a SingleCask South Islay 15yo Sherry Matured for the same Price elsewhere. (And its delicious!!😅) And now, after i heard a few Tastingnotes from independent People, i'm very happy with it and i wont support Ardbeg anymore. Thanks for sharing your Opinion about this Bottling. Greetings from Germany 😎🤘
Sounds like Ardbeg's system thought you were a bot! Very annoying. I nearly lost my order too. I got through the queue and it spat me out into the nornal Ardbeg shop 😑 had to queue twice! It sounds like fate guided you to the better purchase in the end though 😉 Cheers 🥃
Thank you for doing a review on this highly overpriced whisky. With some whiskeys irrespective of price I have to own them. Some of the Ardbeg committee releases are in that category. Like you I have had to be a tad more selective recently. Keep up the great work!
Thanks Nenad. Hopefully I've saved a bunch of people some money while allowing them to still see what this release is all about. Purifiers and their effects are worth talking about, even if Ardbeg are charging an extortionate price to taste it yourself.
I have never bought any bottle from Ardbeg because of the hype surrounding this distillery.I prefer a more understated distillery that doesn't shout and scream about its products.
I can understand that. The last 20 years have been a strange journey for Ardbeg going from mothballed, to the enthusiast's favourite to pedal to the floor marketing gimmicks... The 10 is fantastic and very reasonably priced though if you like peat and decide to see what the hype is all about.
That's a large part of why I wanted this bottle. It might not be quite the same as you guys getting to try it but at least you get an honest opinion of it. And who knows if there'll ever be another chance to do an A-B comparison of the same whisky with and without a still purifier. We rightly complain about Ardbeg Committee Releases but truth be told, this is probably a once in a lifetime experiment.
@@WhiskyLock each such tasting is of great value as it provides perspective as to where one's at. Your comparison with the ten was very enlightening as I am a huge fan. And who knows, one day I might have to make a choice between regifting it and selfishly enjoying it myself :)
None of the recent committee releases have appealed to me in the slightest. I'm very interested in the upcoming BizarreBQ through, and will definitely be picking up a couple of bottles seeing as it's going to be reasonably priced.
It's really just Fermutation and this Heavy Vapours that got my interest. With both, there's a justifiable special quality to how the whisky has been made that (IMHO) makes it worth trying because you're learning something from it. A lot of Committee Releases are now shameless cash grabs though. I'm not interested in paying £120 for NAS just because it's got a high ppm or cask finish. No thanks. Yes, I did see that BizarreBQ is at least priced lower than their other recent offerings. I'll probably still give it a miss unless I can find a sample but I hope you enjoy it 🥃
I’ve sworn off these “gimmicks “ since Scorch CR I must admit that this one peaked my interest more than the others since then. It seems there is still plenty of Ardcore out there. If only people would boycott a couple of releases maybe they would change their tune,but FOMO reigns supreme. People don’t want to miss the the next “Dark Cove”
I know what you mean. I didn't go for Smoke Trails, Hypernova or BizarreBQ. Too many releases, too expensive and I have a literal and figurative bad taste in my mouth left over from Ardcore. The purifier element to this one at least makes it a worthwhile learning experience. But it's a shame to have to pay £120 for it. I expect I'll go back to ignoring the CRs now. At least for a good while.
It does come in a snazzy box in the U.S., but upon reading the usual hype graf, it kind of falls into the same bucket as the other committee releases, which is that it's nothing I'd spend on until I'd had a taste.
Not buying before trying is a wise rule to live by. Sadly it's suspiciously hard to find samples of special Ardbeg, at least here in the UK. I've been trying unsuccessfully for years to find a sample of Traigh Bhan. I'm starting to suspect that Ardbeg threaten to cut off retailers who split bottles in the interests of making us buy a whole one. Just an unfounded theory...
Great review! I wish they removed the purifier on the Hypernova release. I think that would've been something special. This release feels like semi-recycled version of the Hypernova with a twist.
@Whisky Lock on a different topic, would you mind recommending some of your favorite higher proof sherry heavy whiskeys? Bunnah 12 CS 2022 and HP single cask first fill sherry butt are amazing? Just looking for more.
@@troublesome89 Aberlour A'Bunadh is the obvious one but it's very expensive now. Edradour do some great stuff at cask strength. Glenallachie 10CS is very good although can be hard to find now. Ardbeg Uigeadail if you want peated and sherried. If you want something really left field, The Lakes Whisky Maker's Reserve fits the bill despite being a little young.
Those who are buying committee bottles are helping the distillery to stay open during hard times. Means they are paying extra probably which is explicitly stated on the official site. They will not sell 5 dollars cost bottle with a 3 dollars price tag right but the opposite usually. So those who always talk about how expensive and how bad yhe quality of the committee items really need to understand what they are buying first. They are not buying ardbeg 10 type of bottle for sure
I understand what you're saying but I'm undecided. There's supporting your favourite distilleries and then there's price gouging. I don't know. What I do know is that the Ardbeg core range is one of the best quality, best value and most available out of all Scotch though. So I don't get too angry about special editions.
Until I started reviewing I don't think I had either. I always say that for those just looking for good value whisky, the core range had everything you need. And on a lot of days I would narrow that down to just the 10.
A whiskey is worth what you're willing to pay for it. I've often paid more than the original price, or the quality vs price is lower than comparable whiskies. I find myself doing it with distilleries I want to follow the journey and the various expressions, in the same way i'd overpay for a band's concert if i really like them even if they're double the price of other bands
True and good points. If somebody feels that a whisky is worth the cost to them then I won't argue with that. Especially when they're only special releases and there's still a good value core range as is the case with Ardbeg.
I paid $170 for this one 😅. I really like it, but yeah it's overpriced. If I ran arbeg, I'd replace wee beastie with this (for the same price as current beastie) for its regular run. They're probably similar ages I'd guess. And I'd happily drink this in place of wee beastie. And you'd have some variation in the lineup at a lower price point.
Yeah that's a good idea. As someone who appreciates intense peat a little more than young sherry I think I'd trade Wee Beastie for this too. The only reason not to that I can see is that the purifier improves yield slightly (higher ABV off the still) but I hope we'll see more purifierless Ardbeg soon. For £30-40 though 😉
Hi i just order one and waiting for delivery. What your expectations? R u port finish lover? Im not big fan of port finish whiskies but really love Bushmills 16 years ago. Never tried white port finish so hope this one be good enough like PX peated 🤞😁🥂🙋🏻♂️
@@peatbull3426 not opened mine yet still drinking the glen scotia seasonal release 2022 lovely dram my favourite whisky of 2022 and the scotia 15 enjoy your festival bottling
Ardbeg's best days are behind it, and they are only making it worse and worse with each passing gimmicky release. I guess they still sell plenty of these overhyped bottlings because they keep coming up with them? Or they're just desperate. Not sure which.
Shane, just wondering if your willing to give BizarreBQ a go. I see most reviewers and shops near me say it gives Oogie a run for its money but honestly I trust your opinion more than most….love to hear your thoughts. Also, any thoughts on the first Ardbeg Anthology release…seems pricey in comparison I will say and most shops near me still have it in stock unlike BizarreBQ which disappeared quickly near me
Thanks buddy. I've been curious about BizarreBQ. Mainly because it's more reasonably priced than all the other recent releases! Perhaps I will pull the trigger soon. I decided against the Harpy's whatever it is because the price seems too high again. Too high for a NAS with a cask gimmick. I will always love Ardbeg for their core range. Especially the 10 but even someone like me who really enjoyed Heavy Vapours and Fermutation is getting tired of the high priced NAS releases and gimmicks. Cheers 🥃
@@WhiskyLock I totally agree with you…too many gimmicks…the Harpy’s is age stated though at 13 years but still too pricey…close to double the BizarreBQ price in my area
Morning mate 😊 Thanks for the review 🤔But your nuts to spend £120 . Feel angry if it helps. But I also think you have to take some responsibility for not saying 'Bollocks to that bottle' and mean it. Did I recall your New Year resolutions correctly.
There'll be plenty of other Committee Releases to say bollocks to. Smoke Trails, Bizarre BQ, Hypernova... they can keep them all unless I find a sample to review. Which with Ardbeg Committee Releases is usually unlikely. Before I became a reviewer I would only ever try Committee Releases when samples were available to buy and that's how I recommend others to approach it. This one was always an intended exception to the bottle ban and was mentioned at the time. The chance to try a whisky made with and without a still purifier is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity and it's something I didn't want to miss for the channel. Because at the end of the day I'm not just posting whisky crotch shots on the 'Gram with "found one in the wild" in the caption 😉 The price for that was paying £120 for a £60 bottle of whisky. To me, as a whisky reviewer and commentator that experience and experiment was worth it even if the whisky certainly isn't. And hopefully I've saved money for a few viewers.
@@WhiskyLock you are right. They used to sell out asap now not so much esp the standard. I did a review of the standard bottle.... Makes me want to punch my balls
I have to agree. I've tried a few expressions like the Twenty One and they've been very underwhelming. Modern Ardbeg is a spirit that is best on the young and punchy side. Which is probably partly down to that purifier. Now if we had a twenty year old Ardbeg without the purifier that might be a different story. I imagine it would be similar to some of those glorious higher age statement Lagavulins. But it would be unaffordable for sure. Old old bottlings can be better too in my experience. The 17yo was amazing despite the poor bottling strength. Which has always made me curious about the long gone vintage releases. I've always wanted to try things like the 1974 vintages that seem to be universally critically acclaimed. I think that boat has sailed though. And even if they ever try to recreate it, it would cost thousands based on how much they currently charge for Traigh Bhan.
I’m admittedly curious but couldn’t it be yet another Ardbeg marketing gimmick? I used to be a hardcore fan even thru to the much maligned Ardcore but last few years hype-driven manipulative money grabs increasingly alienated me and their joining the NFT scam was the last straw.
Just wanted to say thank you for this clear-eyed review. Some people are so wrapped up in narratives about the decline of the committee releases, and so angry about the price, that I think they fail to actually taste the whisky. I bought a bottle of this and after the first dram, I think your review is spot on. Is it too expensive? Yes. But is it good? Also yes.
Thanks Nicholas. Yes, I think it's very easy to write this off because of the automatic bad value. Always best to judge it by aroma and taste alone though and then everyone can decide if the price is acceptable to them.
I do think this would make a great addition to the core range at a lower price though. Low ish age statement, £50, 50% and give it an old timey name along the lines of Victoriana or Illicit Stills. Would be good!
You gave the review like I would have had if I had it but I’ve had it with Ardbeg…unless I find it for 50% off😅
Having said that… I recently cracked open the Ardbeg 10 that came in the Ardbeg decorative warehouse tin back in 2017. All I can say is …simply sublime. Probably the best Ardbeg 10 I ever had.
Great review echoing my sentiments.
Cheers 🥃
Thanks for taking one for the team for science.🤓
If you find it for 50% off do let me know 😂 still wouldn't be too much of a bargain but it'd be a more sensible price!
All of these special releases are really just fluff, marketing, curios and oddities that surround that perfect 10.
Cheers John 🥃
@@WhiskyLock it was offered to me yesterday for $165… I respectfully declined.
I picked up the hyper nova because I really enjoyed the super novas that I hav had. My absolute favorite CR was Rollercoaster.
Sounds like you've been following CR for a while 🙂 I think my favourite has to be fermutation. Largely because it's just so weird. Different is always good. Cheers 🥃
I fell into the Ardbeg hype when I first got into whisky in 2015 and now have 6 committee releases (scorch,perpetuum (2) supernova,drum, and dark cove.) which I don’t think I could enjoy and drink at the price . My husband used to buy a bottle and so did 1 so that we had a bottle open and a bottle spare when first was finished . This was before I realised what happens with the price as soon as it’s released . So I have enjoyed many .. dark cove being my favourite . Just can’t bring myself to buy them anymore . Sounds like a decent bottling though 😊
I think that's it. None of these Committee Releases are priced in such a way that you can just buy, drink and enjoy them. There was a time when we didn't have to be so precious about pouring a dram! Cheers 🥃
Wow. So now I'm happy that I missed out on the presale. It sold out for $158 USD before tax. The general release is now $132 USD before tax. I'm not buying that one either. I'm happy this was reviewed though. Thanks for taking one for the community and I like the comparison of the Ardbeg 10 year vs. the Heavy Vapours.
Thanks Dean!
Great review with very interesting insights and clear statements. For me an absolutely reliable, competent and independent voice! Thank you!
Thanks Björn!
I'll never wrap my mind around the reasons why the Scotch Whisky Association allows distillers to add coloring. Aiming to please (under-educated) markets that don't appreciate natural variance is, to me, a weak excuse. If a distillery produces something with a hefty ABV and no chill-filtration, then I'll guess it probably will avoid throwing a wrench into the mix by adding even a whisp of coloring. But I won't assume anything. That said, I wonder: what's the big issue with putting that simple info on the label?
Weak excuse indeed! I've said it before and I'll say it again; if people drinking wine, gin and beer can be educated that haze and variation of colour are acceptable then whisky should be no different.
It might be a bit cynical of me but I feel that the number of SWA board members who make billions from selling high volumes of blended whisky probably plays a large part in continuing to allow e150a. We all know that banning colouring is the right thing to do, but to some people it's not worth risking a blip on the profits spreadsheet.
really appreciated the balanced perspective you give here, noting the value for money but then also going through the experience. Well done
Thanks Caspar 🥃
Thanks for reviewing this Ardbeg. I used to buy the committee releases when I could find them but have pretty much given up on them. Just not worth it anymore.
It does seem like they're deliberately testing our loyalty at times...
Many thanks for the review, but all I can say is that I'm glad it's you rather than me who has forked out for this and taken it for a spin around the block. In my opinion that's a lot of "grist" to spend on finding out the difference in taste and mouthfeel of an Ardbeg produced with or without the purifier being activated. I've just finished watching the Malt Activist's review of this bottling and he was not as keen as your good self on the merits of Heavy Vapours. You said it yourself: either buy this one at 120 GBP or 3 bottles of the Standard Ardbeg Ten. Yep, that'll be the way most punters weigh it up. But despite the gripe, I was fascinated to hear you describe the differences you found when considering what the bottling offered to the geek. For me, I'd want a more obvious difference in the mouthfeel with a decidedly enhanced viscosity due to increased oiliness. But that's just my beef. I'd be interested to try this one as a bar pour or a sample at a whisky festival but I certainly won't go chasing it. Those days are over. Many thanks again for your comprehensive and very honest review! Cheers.
Thanks Russell. I'm glad I paid for the experience. I'm the kind of person that really cares about seeing the effect of these things and of course I get to share it with all of you. Would I have paid it if I wasn't doing this channel? Possibly not. Would I pay it for a second bottle? Hell no! Do give it a try if you find it in a bar though 👍
I am actually a Committee Member and was sent an email about the time of release. However, I was in Spain at the time so missed out. I'm writing this little section even before watching your review so I can lay my cards on the table. What is going on with the abv of Ardbeg Committee whisky? The strength of this is so low at 51.2% it's hardly worth the regular version coming out at 46%. The flippers have been at it of course and it's doing the rounds at £200+ already. Aren't we all just a bit bored at this sort of thing these days? It's Ardbeg though and I do like my Ardbeg.
The tasting notes are entirely predictable. What you describe is good quality peated Islay whisky particularly the type made at Ardbeg. I say that in a good way. "It's good but not worth it" is a trope for so much Ardbeg and so much whisky these days. This particular marketing exercise is past its sell by date though. The Committee Release should be 57% at least (and if not use an age statement) and cost no more than £80. That allows the follow up 'regular' version to be priced no higher than the 10. Remember what we said about the Kilchoman Machir Bay Cask Strength. Fine review as always. WT
Yeah... bad news... It's 50.2% not 51.2% 😂 I think the ABV is the biggest slap in the face. Putting the age statement on this won't change the whisky (but should have been done!). But offering the Committee Release with an extra 4.2% seems like a token gesture. In my review notes I had planned to say that it should be at least 57% (100 proof) as you said... but decided not to say it because for £120 bugger that it should be cask strength.
I've been lurking on the auction sites lately, watching to see what prices are doing. My verdict: coming down but not enough! And I've seen this for sale already too. Have they no shame?
I'm not sure of the legal technicalities, but I'd love to see releases like this sold in unsealed bottles to prevent flipping. Of course, it won't happen...
Cheers WT 🥃
I will probably never drink this whisky but i still feel like i learned something about the purifier influence…. Cheers mate!
Glad to shed some light on what is a very interesting little oddity of distillation 🙂
Any distillery that considers it self a "Luxury" producer is not worth buying into, in my opinion. It is up to us to decide whether or not the product is luxury.
True. Brings to mind Compass Box's This Is Not A Luxury Whisky. Which ironically was priced as a luxury whisky 😒
At least Ardbeg 10 is still great value. If they get rid of or hike the price of that all hell will break loose!
This is a available by me and I’ve held off buying, but saw ur review and said if this guy can sell me on it then I’ll give it a go. “Young Lagavulin” helped me stay the course and save my money. I’m over young peat in general and have enough. Ziveli
Glad I could save you some cash! I think unless you specifically want to taste the difference made by the purifier then you don't need this.
I appreciate the straightforward statement that you can't review whisky if you don't have whisky.
For simplicity, that ranks up there with the liquor shopping experience of, "I know I don't NEED it, but it and I are both here - and it's X price - so I'm getting it."
Basically, it was fate that had me buying OF100 for $13 and MM46 for $22 over the past month, even though I already had both in the closet. Now I just need that experience where I walk in and Uigeadail is $60.
Sometimes a deal is so good you just can't not buy it 😉
@@WhiskyLock Yes. "If God deemed it right that I stumble upon such a deal, how, in good conscience, can I NOT buy this whiskey?"
Cheers for the review man. Buying it so I don't have to! I would like to journey these experimental bottlings with Ardbeg but the price is too high. If they made these committee releases 100ml bottles at a decent price so there was more to go round and not as much risk if it sucked, then maybe I'd buy some of these again.
What you're suggesting is far too sensible for most distilleries 😉
If they made 100ml bottles available, I would be all over it.
I think FOMO, resale value and collection OCD is a strong part of the marketing strategy though.
Price is killing so many good bottles lately. I know they can charge this, but I would have loved to try it. Sounded really good. Sweet and Salty!
Yeah a lot of greed crapping all over our hobby and passion lately. I hope that there will be some sort of core range bottling based on this. I don't see why it couldn't sell alongside the 10 for a similar price. I'd buy it. Sounds like they don't want to though 🙄
Nice review! Even though Ardbeg won't get any more of my money (since the highly offensive whisky-NFT) it was still an interesting watch.
Cheers!
I expect that did annoy a lot of people. You could argue that they've been selling NFTs for years though. With the current price of things like Traigh Bhan how many people are actually buying it to drink? 🙄 Cheers 🥃
It's too expensive, you shouldn't have bought it!
Brilliant review man thank you for biting the bullet on this one and giving us the lowdown. I'm not gonna get in to Ardbeg being way too gimmicky for the past few year but this does actually sound interesting. Like you said, if you want to learn what a purifier does, this is the ticket price for that experience, so was the case with the Fermutation. For us whisky nerds that's the appealing part, the learning experience. Hopefully I will secure a sample from somewhere. Cheers my friend!
I'm amazed it took this long for someone to say it 😂
It's a shame that it can be difficult to get Committee Release samples. I've had trouble in the past anyway. I always jump at the chance when I can though. Look forward to your thoughts if you find it. Cheers 🥃
You made a very valid point, for the money the 10 wins hands down, but for the uniqueness of distilling and maturing an Ardbeg with its purifier removed there’s no other options. This is the one and only time they did that and are not planning on ever doing it again (according to the company reps)
Yeah... they've really got us over a barrel with this one. Or is it a cask? 🤔 Being a one time thing, you only have one option if you want to taste the difference.
I do wonder if they've secretly run the stills without the purifier before though. I'm not sure why they wouldn't? Although it's easy to see why they'd bill this as a one time only thing 🙂
Serge at Whiskyfun recently reviewed the 46% version of Heavy Vapours and he suggested that there have been 'many' previous batches without the purifier. I'm not sure what his source on that is though...
Why did you have to give a decent fair review? There was me saying a couple of years back I enjoyed the journey of experimenting with committee/limited edition Ardbeg releases but from here on out will be buying only the core releases , then I got myself a bottle of this with the intention of maybe in a few years selling it off. Which is something I never do btw, I buy whisky to drink not to sell on. But then there was that element of well its Ardbeg this one botttle might just pay for 3 - 4 other bottles I might have my eye on in a few years time. I was working nightshift at the time when I got the email of the release and thinking it would have been sold out quickly, as normally the case, I wasn't too fussed whether I was successful in a purchase or not. Now here I am, with the initial intention of never drinking it, and yet with the will power of insert (whatever you like here). For me whisky tasting is quite often you take a barley, yeast and water and insert an element of what? And it tastes like this why?
I try my best not to judge people, and yet when you are trying to get a hold of those hard to reach bottles it can be hard as a drinker and not a flipper. I made a decision Committee releases and anything Macallan is possibly something I don't really need and yet here I am thinking what does it taste like. Flipping takes discipline - I don't know if I have it in me. I know if I open it the bottle will probably still be unfinished in 3 years time and yet there is Mrs Doyle sitting on the shoulder saying "Go on, go on, go on...."
😂 I love hearing your thought process on this. I hope you do open this and enjoy it but with the potential profit in these bottles and considering how many others are buying them to sell, we can all understand why you might not.
About the fair (and fairly positive) review. I'm as annoyed as you are 😉 it would've been a relief to me in a way if this had been as underwhelming as Ardcore but it's not. Its interesting and the lack of purifier adds something. Nothing worth 3x the price of the 10 though.
Cheers and thanks for watching and commenting whatever you decide to do 🥃
Hello,
i bought and paid this Ardbeg regulary. But somehow they canceled my Order after a few Minutes without any Reason, so i bought a Bottling of a SingleCask South Islay 15yo Sherry Matured for the same Price elsewhere. (And its delicious!!😅)
And now, after i heard a few Tastingnotes from independent People, i'm very happy with it and i wont support Ardbeg anymore.
Thanks for sharing your Opinion about this Bottling.
Greetings from Germany 😎🤘
Sounds like Ardbeg's system thought you were a bot! Very annoying. I nearly lost my order too. I got through the queue and it spat me out into the nornal Ardbeg shop 😑 had to queue twice!
It sounds like fate guided you to the better purchase in the end though 😉 Cheers 🥃
The only good thing about Ardbeg committee releases is it allows them to keep prices of the core range down
Thank you for doing a review on this highly overpriced whisky. With some whiskeys irrespective of price I have to own them. Some of the Ardbeg committee releases are in that category. Like you I have had to be a tad more selective recently. Keep up the great work!
Thanks Nenad. Hopefully I've saved a bunch of people some money while allowing them to still see what this release is all about. Purifiers and their effects are worth talking about, even if Ardbeg are charging an extortionate price to taste it yourself.
I have never bought any bottle from Ardbeg because of the hype surrounding this distillery.I prefer a more understated distillery that doesn't shout and scream about its products.
I can understand that. The last 20 years have been a strange journey for Ardbeg going from mothballed, to the enthusiast's favourite to pedal to the floor marketing gimmicks...
The 10 is fantastic and very reasonably priced though if you like peat and decide to see what the hype is all about.
@@WhiskyLock I have tried the ledaig 10 and the port Charlotte 10 and they were quite good but not a huge peat fan thanks Andrew
Nice to listen to the taste of a whisky we won't be able (we wouldn't want) to afford :)
That's a large part of why I wanted this bottle. It might not be quite the same as you guys getting to try it but at least you get an honest opinion of it.
And who knows if there'll ever be another chance to do an A-B comparison of the same whisky with and without a still purifier. We rightly complain about Ardbeg Committee Releases but truth be told, this is probably a once in a lifetime experiment.
@@WhiskyLock each such tasting is of great value as it provides perspective as to where one's at. Your comparison with the ten was very enlightening as I am a huge fan. And who knows, one day I might have to make a choice between regifting it and selfishly enjoying it myself :)
None of the recent committee releases have appealed to me in the slightest. I'm very interested in the upcoming BizarreBQ through, and will definitely be picking up a couple of bottles seeing as it's going to be reasonably priced.
It's really just Fermutation and this Heavy Vapours that got my interest. With both, there's a justifiable special quality to how the whisky has been made that (IMHO) makes it worth trying because you're learning something from it.
A lot of Committee Releases are now shameless cash grabs though. I'm not interested in paying £120 for NAS just because it's got a high ppm or cask finish. No thanks.
Yes, I did see that BizarreBQ is at least priced lower than their other recent offerings. I'll probably still give it a miss unless I can find a sample but I hope you enjoy it 🥃
I’ve sworn off these “gimmicks “ since Scorch CR I must admit that this one peaked my interest more than the others since then. It seems there is still plenty of Ardcore out there. If only people would boycott a couple of releases maybe they would change their tune,but FOMO reigns supreme. People don’t want to miss the the next “Dark Cove”
I know what you mean. I didn't go for Smoke Trails, Hypernova or BizarreBQ. Too many releases, too expensive and I have a literal and figurative bad taste in my mouth left over from Ardcore. The purifier element to this one at least makes it a worthwhile learning experience. But it's a shame to have to pay £120 for it. I expect I'll go back to ignoring the CRs now. At least for a good while.
It does come in a snazzy box in the U.S., but upon reading the usual hype graf, it kind of falls into the same bucket as the other committee releases, which is that it's nothing I'd spend on until I'd had a taste.
Not buying before trying is a wise rule to live by. Sadly it's suspiciously hard to find samples of special Ardbeg, at least here in the UK. I've been trying unsuccessfully for years to find a sample of Traigh Bhan. I'm starting to suspect that Ardbeg threaten to cut off retailers who split bottles in the interests of making us buy a whole one. Just an unfounded theory...
I put a dab of Ardbeg on my hands and around my collar before I go out. Just for the ladies out there. Pretty sure it works. Maybe
I believe it does work although it only attracts those who will drink your Islay whisky and is therefore inadvisable 😂
The 10yo is a best value whisky. 🏆👍
It really is 👍
Great review! I wish they removed the purifier on the Hypernova release. I think that would've been something special. This release feels like semi-recycled version of the Hypernova with a twist.
That would make a lot of sense. I'd love to try that. Cheers 🥃
@Whisky Lock on a different topic, would you mind recommending some of your favorite higher proof sherry heavy whiskeys? Bunnah 12 CS 2022 and HP single cask first fill sherry butt are amazing? Just looking for more.
@@troublesome89 Aberlour A'Bunadh is the obvious one but it's very expensive now. Edradour do some great stuff at cask strength.
Glenallachie 10CS is very good although can be hard to find now.
Ardbeg Uigeadail if you want peated and sherried.
If you want something really left field, The Lakes Whisky Maker's Reserve fits the bill despite being a little young.
@@WhiskyLock Awesome, thank you!!
Interesting release, are you going to do any Port charlotte cask exploration releases? I have been enjoying those myself I have tried OLC:01 and MC:01
I certainly will once I clear out my shelves a bit. Port Charlotte is fantastic!
Those who are buying committee bottles are helping the distillery to stay open during hard times. Means they are paying extra probably which is explicitly stated on the official site. They will not sell 5 dollars cost bottle with a 3 dollars price tag right but the opposite usually. So those who always talk about how expensive and how bad yhe quality of the committee items really need to understand what they are buying first. They are not buying ardbeg 10 type of bottle for sure
I understand what you're saying but I'm undecided. There's supporting your favourite distilleries and then there's price gouging. I don't know.
What I do know is that the Ardbeg core range is one of the best quality, best value and most available out of all Scotch though. So I don't get too angry about special editions.
I’m proud to say I’ve never purchased an Ardbeg committee release.
Until I started reviewing I don't think I had either. I always say that for those just looking for good value whisky, the core range had everything you need. And on a lot of days I would narrow that down to just the 10.
A whiskey is worth what you're willing to pay for it. I've often paid more than the original price, or the quality vs price is lower than comparable whiskies. I find myself doing it with distilleries I want to follow the journey and the various expressions, in the same way i'd overpay for a band's concert if i really like them even if they're double the price of other bands
True and good points. If somebody feels that a whisky is worth the cost to them then I won't argue with that. Especially when they're only special releases and there's still a good value core range as is the case with Ardbeg.
I paid $170 for this one 😅. I really like it, but yeah it's overpriced. If I ran arbeg, I'd replace wee beastie with this (for the same price as current beastie) for its regular run. They're probably similar ages I'd guess. And I'd happily drink this in place of wee beastie. And you'd have some variation in the lineup at a lower price point.
Yeah that's a good idea. As someone who appreciates intense peat a little more than young sherry I think I'd trade Wee Beastie for this too.
The only reason not to that I can see is that the purifier improves yield slightly (higher ABV off the still) but I hope we'll see more purifierless Ardbeg soon. For £30-40 though 😉
Im buying glen scotia festival bottling now ardbeg too expensive now
Hi i just order one and waiting for delivery. What your expectations? R u port finish lover? Im not big fan of port finish whiskies but really love Bushmills 16 years ago. Never tried white port finish so hope this one be good enough like PX peated 🤞😁🥂🙋🏻♂️
@@peatbull3426 not opened mine yet still drinking the glen scotia seasonal release 2022 lovely dram my favourite whisky of 2022 and the scotia 15 enjoy your festival bottling
Aarddbeg is my favorite i like 10 y and Uigeadail ) good job , like ! Slàinte !
The 10 is very hard to beat IMHO 🙂 cheers 🥃
Ardbeg's best days are behind it, and they are only making it worse and worse with each passing gimmicky release. I guess they still sell plenty of these overhyped bottlings because they keep coming up with them? Or they're just desperate. Not sure which.
It will be very interesting to see if the general release of this stays in stock like Ardcore did. A lot of people have had enough...
I recently bought the 5 and it was good but compared to the other peaty whiskies it wasn't exceptional.
Yeah the 5 is a good whisky but there are better offerings out there. Ardbeg 10 for a start! Which I would always buy over the 5yo...
@@WhiskyLock I bought the 5 because it was on offer at Tesco's for £33
@@andrewmainprice2179 Not a bad price IMHO. Some people are paying that (and more) for a 40% Cardhu 😉
Shane, just wondering if your willing to give BizarreBQ a go. I see most reviewers and shops near me say it gives Oogie a run for its money but honestly I trust your opinion more than most….love to hear your thoughts.
Also, any thoughts on the first Ardbeg Anthology release…seems pricey in comparison I will say and most shops near me still have it in stock unlike BizarreBQ which disappeared quickly near me
Thanks buddy. I've been curious about BizarreBQ. Mainly because it's more reasonably priced than all the other recent releases! Perhaps I will pull the trigger soon. I decided against the Harpy's whatever it is because the price seems too high again. Too high for a NAS with a cask gimmick. I will always love Ardbeg for their core range. Especially the 10 but even someone like me who really enjoyed Heavy Vapours and Fermutation is getting tired of the high priced NAS releases and gimmicks. Cheers 🥃
@@WhiskyLock I totally agree with you…too many gimmicks…the Harpy’s is age stated though at 13 years but still too pricey…close to double the BizarreBQ price in my area
@@MadScientist7 so it is! I had forgotten. When it was announced I decided I'd buy it if it was under £100... and... here we are 🙂
Morning mate 😊 Thanks for the review 🤔But your nuts to spend £120 . Feel angry if it helps. But I also think you have to take some responsibility for not saying 'Bollocks to that bottle' and mean it. Did I recall your New Year resolutions correctly.
There'll be plenty of other Committee Releases to say bollocks to. Smoke Trails, Bizarre BQ, Hypernova... they can keep them all unless I find a sample to review. Which with Ardbeg Committee Releases is usually unlikely.
Before I became a reviewer I would only ever try Committee Releases when samples were available to buy and that's how I recommend others to approach it.
This one was always an intended exception to the bottle ban and was mentioned at the time. The chance to try a whisky made with and without a still purifier is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity and it's something I didn't want to miss for the channel. Because at the end of the day I'm not just posting whisky crotch shots on the 'Gram with "found one in the wild" in the caption 😉
The price for that was paying £120 for a £60 bottle of whisky. To me, as a whisky reviewer and commentator that experience and experiment was worth it even if the whisky certainly isn't. And hopefully I've saved money for a few viewers.
@@WhiskyLock Well in that case I find you innocent of all charges of being nuts :) I would say I was testing your commitment.
😊👍🏻🥃
haven't tried the CR yet but the standard is shite balls.
I mean.... what a sham, a scam it is.
It's certainly not worth the cash. Are there many bottles left on the shelf where you are? It seems like they're not selling out like they used to 🙄
@@WhiskyLock you are right. They used to sell out asap now not so much esp the standard.
I did a review of the standard bottle.... Makes me want to punch my balls
Ardbeg never lives up to the hype. Never. Not when it is 5 years or 50 years. If you buy old Ardbeg you are a sucker.
I have to agree. I've tried a few expressions like the Twenty One and they've been very underwhelming. Modern Ardbeg is a spirit that is best on the young and punchy side. Which is probably partly down to that purifier.
Now if we had a twenty year old Ardbeg without the purifier that might be a different story. I imagine it would be similar to some of those glorious higher age statement Lagavulins. But it would be unaffordable for sure.
Old old bottlings can be better too in my experience. The 17yo was amazing despite the poor bottling strength. Which has always made me curious about the long gone vintage releases. I've always wanted to try things like the 1974 vintages that seem to be universally critically acclaimed. I think that boat has sailed though. And even if they ever try to recreate it, it would cost thousands based on how much they currently charge for Traigh Bhan.
@@WhiskyLock Yeah, it just shows when it is loved and not milked dry by a corperation it is much better.
I skipped this one but the new bizarre-bq sounds interesting? Cheers
It's certainly cheaper than some of the recent ones. Which is nice to see!
I’m admittedly curious but couldn’t it be yet another Ardbeg marketing gimmick? I used to be a hardcore fan even thru to the much maligned Ardcore but last few years hype-driven manipulative money grabs increasingly alienated me and their joining the NFT scam was the last straw.