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Ardbeg 1990 Airigh Nam Beist

Another go at my favorite Ardbeg

0 693

@OnibubbaReview by @Onibubba

2nd Feb 2013

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  • Nose
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  • Taste
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  • Overall
    93

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Time to open another bottle of something peaty, something Ardbeg. This one is bottled 2007, so it is 17YO. The last bottle I had was also a 2007 so I do not know how this compares to the 2006 or 2008 bottlings.

Salty vanilla and poached pears absolutely fill the nose. Nougat and honey coat the mouth. A real sweetie. Let's give it a swish. At 46%, the burn is noticeable and nicely numbing. Getting some faint burnt marshmallow on the finish, which could be longer, but is entirely sweet and pleasant.

I like this a lot. It is not as aggressive as the 10 and the Corry, which are frankly, a bit more than I can handle.

This is an expensive bottle. It is going to cost me $130 to replace this, but I like it so much that I am going to.

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6 comments

Rigmorole commented

Where do you buy from? I would pay that price for a bottle since the Beast is unavailabe in Oregon. Great review, by the way. Interesting insights and you write well.

11 years ago 0

@Onibubba
Onibubba commented

Local store in Tennessee. They actually still have bottles on the shelf.

11 years ago 0

Rigmorole commented

Thanks for your response. You're a lucky man to have that store near you. Very cool.

If I were you, I would buy two more bottles, not one! They are collectable now. Even Master of Malt is out of the Beast. Praise be to Tennessee!

11 years ago 0

@Onibubba
Onibubba commented

Revisiting this, as I revisit Current 93's Earth Covers Earth. I decanted a 4 Oz'er from the last bottle that I opened with the intention of holding on to it for a while. But Mulligan's has one more bottle of this on the shelves, and I must ask myself, do you really want to spend another 130.00 just to secure another bottle of this overpriced malt? I say overpriced because if you peel back the sticker, you can see that it was once priced at 112, but has been re-stickered at 130.

Upon smelling my first pour, I am immediately reminded why this is my favorite of all Ardbegs. 46% and 17 years have produced a whisky of incredibly balanced proportions. Tonight, I have been sipping on a 16 YO DE Lagavulin, and this absolutely trounces it in the taste department. This is heavenly. The salt, the brine, the vanilla, and something I cannot describe, but oh so uniquely Ardbeg. It is there. Honestly, the cask strength bottlings just overwhelm me. This though, this is perfection. I would give this a couple more points tonight. And tomorrow, I am going to spend another 130.00 on this whisky. If you see it, I suggest you do the same.

10 years ago 0

cato commented

OOP Ardbeg yet to be duplicated. I managed to secure a couple of cases back a couple of years ago and I am glad I did. I've just finished by second 2008 bottling and it is simply magnificent. I have some of all three, but I favor the 18 YO. Anyone who still has the chance to buy one --even at a premium, I suggest you do not hesitate. A more perfect dram I have yet to find.

10 years ago 0

@Onibubba
Onibubba commented

An embarrassment of riches. Last weekend, I popped into a liquor store I have never been in before, and dude had a half dozen bottles of the 2008. I bought 2 and have been dreaming about the rest of those bottles all week. Goodbye paycheck.

10 years ago 0

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