Ardbeg 10 Year Old

The peat smoke is definitely huge in this one upon first opening. I found after a few weeks it died down considerably, the peat became less fierce and I started getting apricot, pineapple and other fruits on the nose. Great Islay whisky this.

Thanks @systemdown for the comment on one of my first (and worst) reviews. I know I ramble on in my later ones, but at least I provide some detailed tasting notes. I may submit another Ardbeg 10 review (with the same score) down the road, or I may expand my thoughts on the 10 yo if and when I do a review of the Uigeadail. Only two Ardbegs I've tried so far, and I love 'em both. I'm a bit reluctant to delve further into Ardbeg, however. I get the impression they're releasing a lot of B-level whiskies at A-plus prices...although opinions seem to be all over the place on this matter.

95 points is a B-level at your scale? Have to remember this :)

Btw you could also give your additionally notes on the 10yo here in the comments if you want to. So you bought the Uigeadail? You liked it even more than the 10yo? I tried it and loved it. I am going to buy a bottle, maybe in the wintertime.

Well...I'm not that tough of a grader! ;) Uigeadail is a 96 in my gradebook, and that's as close as I've come to an A-plusser! Yeah, I like it a tiny bit more than the 10yo -- a point's worth. Tastes like a powerhouse version of the 10 to me, but that's not a bad thing.

I'm only going by others' opinions, but there seems to be a consensus that Ardbeg keeps cranking out the various expressions that, while good, aren't good enough to justify the high prices. I'd be more than happy to share my thoughts on the matter if anyone would like to send me some free samples!

Only my second attempt at a whisky review--how embarrassing some 14 months on! I'll revisit this one eventually with a new review and adjust my score to a more reasonable, but still quite respectable, 91.

We all have to start somewhere, there's absolutely no shame in it. Only by looking back do we see how far we have come.

You got a batch number to share?

@Nock -- This review was written long before I paid attention to batch numbers. I'm on my fourth (or fifth?) bottle of Ardbeg 10 now. It's L12 071, for what that's worth.