Ardbeg 10 2008 SMWS 33.137 "Campfire marshmallows on singed sticks"

Names mean next to nothing when it comes to how enjoyable a whisky is, but this one caught my eye for sure. I wanted to try it and was sad I wouldn’t have the opportunity since I believe it was only sold at an event I was not attending. Fortunately it made it into a kit of samples that came up at an auction I was bidding in and it afforded me the opportunity to try a this and a few others as well.

Ardbeg 10, 2008 Vintage, Scotch Malt Whisky Society 33.137, Islay Single Malt, 59.9% ABV

Minutia: Distilled on November 27, 2008 and matured in a 1st fill bourbon barrel for 10 years yielding 231 bottles. This is part of the Peated flavor profile named “Campfire marshmallows on singed sticks”. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Pale gold; 0.3.

Nose: This is one of those “smell the smoke ‘round the room” whiskies. Smoke, a sweetness that’s unsure of itself dances around there (banana, licorice, coconut, etc.). Salt flirts with the smokiness but mostly gives ground to the earthy quality of the smoke. A damn fine nose.

Taste: Woody smoke, quite hot. Compared to the tasting notes and other reviews, my mouth may have been a bit more sensitive than would have been ideal due to whatever circumstances preceded this tasting.

Finish: Singed wood, long. 

I think the palate would have been fine in a vacuum, but after that nose they felt like a letdown. That said, the nose still carries this one a good deal. It’s good, I’m not upset I wasn’t able to get a bottle, but I wouldn’t be disappointed had I managed to.

Score: 85

Musical Evocation: Gwen Stefani – “Early Winter”