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Ardbeg "WEE BEASTIE"?

3 14

RikS started a discussion

I may have missed a thread (searched but didn't find it here), but has anyone seen/tasted Ardbeg's new 5-year release "Wee Beastie"!? Apparently going off the shelves or €38 which I believe makes it the cheapest in the lineup? Worth trying or just 'riding the wave and pushing immature stuff to market"? clos19.com/en-de/…

3 years ago

14 replies

@Nock
Nock replied

It has yet to appear in my market (Virginia, USA) or surrounding regions. But it is at Binny’s in Chicago for $44.99 plus tax (if you have the discount card).

I will certainly pick up a bottle if/when I see it. I am just happy they put out a 5 year old age statement. I say well done. I can still get the 10yo for $54.99 plus tax ($49.99 on sale last month) but I doubt that price will last much longer. At Binny’s the 10yo is now $59.99.

My guess is that Ardbeg is preparing for future demand. They did just add two more stills which doubles their capacity. So, in 5 years time they could have twice the 5 year old stock available.

In no way do I expect price to correlate with age. I have officially given up on that idea. My hope is that price correlates with quality. I can tell you from much first hand experience that the quality of Ardbeg Uigeadail is (mostly) exceptional. It is a combination of mostly 8-10 year old ex-bourbon casks with a few 6 year old sherry casks. I costs $81.99 in my state (currently on sale for $71.99 plus tax). Is it worth it? Absolutely. The An Oa on the other hand . . . that is a pass for me. Tried one bottle and was highly disappointed.

Further, if you have tried Octomore you know what alchemy can be worked in 5 years. I have happily paid $200 for that 5 year old liquid. How will it work with Ardbeg? If they are picking quality casks for the vatting I expect it to be good. An interesting comparison will be Laphroaig Quarter Cask which is mostly 5-7 year old liquid aged an additional 6 months in quarter casks and bottled at 48%. That goes for $56.99 plus tax in my area.

This new 5 year seems about as transparent as it gets these days. It is all ex-bourbon, 5 years old, and 47.4%. And given that I can track the batches from the Ardbeg bottle code . . . I am going to give this one a few tries. I am sure the 10yo is better. Thankfully, I am stocked up on that for some time to come. But there is always room in the stable for another Ardbeg.

3 years ago 7Who liked this?

Jonathan replied

I just picked one up! Will provide a couple of notes later. I was surprised to see it. I did not know that it existed until I saw it!

3 years ago 1Who liked this?

Jonathan replied

@Nock Just read about this and watched Horst. It may not be all ex-bourbon.

3 years ago 1Who liked this?

Jonathan replied

For example:"Ardbeg promises a very lively and smoky whisky and presents ithe Wee Beastie: Five years old, matured in ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso sherry casks and bottled at 47.4% ABV. This is not a special edition, but a whisky that will from now on be part of Ardbeg's standard range, and yes, it shows an age statement!"

3 years ago 1Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote replied

@Nock Sounds like it might be a good one, but I seriously doubt we will see it in the same price region as Laphroaig QC.

3 years ago 3Who liked this?

Jonathan replied

I'm checking on the German reviews of this. If I knew what was happening with my stocks, I think I'd invest in Moët Hennessy. I will at least buy a couple more bottles.

3 years ago 2Who liked this?

@cricklewood
cricklewood replied

A fellow Instagramer I follow picked one up and gave his initial notes, 35$ in his state.. Texas I think. He is a peat fiend and gave it thumbs up, says the sherry influence is quite apparent.

I'm happy they put an age statement on it although I feel like this will mean a bump in the prices or the rest of the line-up.

3 years ago 2Who liked this?

Jonathan replied

This is as good and maybe better than Kilchoman's Machir Bay.. I'm getting similar notes. Honestly, the finish is better.

3 years ago 1Who liked this?

RikS replied

It'll be fun to see how this one will be seen to compare, not to the 10 but to the 'other' bourbon/sherry offering out there that's AnOa (which seemed to be everyone's love to hate object in the Ardbeg line).

3 years ago 2Who liked this?

@Nock
Nock replied

My mistake! This is a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. Well dang. I wish they had kept it easy for us. I am guessing the ex-sherry cask involvement is minimal. I have seen a number of people demonstrate the color and it looks very clear in most images I have seen. Granted, I hope to experience it for myself very soon.

3 years ago 4Who liked this?

@Nock
Nock replied

@BlueNote what do you mean? I am curious. To my mind they are similar ABV, similar age range, and similar price. Sure it might be off by $5-$10. And the Quarter Cask could be 7 years old (doubtful). But the idea is similar: Young peat blast at about 48%. I like the thinking over the old idea of older whisky near 40% or 43%.

3 years ago 3Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote replied

@Nock That may well be the case where you live, but here (Vancouver) all Ardbeg products are considerably more expensive than similar products from other distilleries. That said, I hope you are right.

3 years ago 1Who liked this?

Jonathan replied

@Nock From the tiny sniff of it I had last night, the sherry is even less prominent than in Machir Bay. I seems to be weet without being cloying. The An Oa is not as good.

3 years ago 1Who liked this?

Jonathan replied

Just called up and reserved a second bottle.

3 years ago 0

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