Ardbeg Kildalton 2014

I had heard lots of good things about the Ardbeg Kildalton, but it was not until Sven C. offered me a sample that I was able to finally taste it. Consequently, my expectations were high. The nose is rather soft with nice notes of ashes and soot, the obligatory citrus and a hint of plasticine. A drop of honey and a hint of dried apricots. Smoked ham. Soft on the spices, though. After a few minutes it turns quite brackish, like sea water. I quite like that. Not big, but fine just the same. It is equally soft on the palate, I must say. The peat is nicely pronounced, the smoke development is good. There is a green side to it. Garden herbs? Ginger, some pepper and some lime tea that was infused for too long. The brackish notes return after a rather sweet start. I catch myself waiting for some epiphany, but it does not happen. In the surprisingly short finish on more tea and smoked ham, I get something mentholated, but it is all gone before you can blink. What is all the fuss about? I truly wonder. I saw this vary in price from 300 to almost 600 EUR. Damn, that is a lot of bottles of Ardbeg Ten, which will give me a lot more pleasure than this one. Sorry, but this is a little Ardbeg.

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