Ardbeg 10 Year Old & Ardbeg Blasda Minis 2 x 5cl
Bottle performance
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Lot number: 137-01737
Winning bid: £30
Since its establishment in 1815, The Ardbeg distillery has been on a tumultuous rollercoaster ride of ownership changes, closures, and reopening. Stability was only achieved relatively recently, when the ailing distillery was purchased in 1997 by industry giants, Glenmorangie. The subsequent years have seen the distillery’s popularity swell, with fans enticed by the signature style of tarry, sooty smoke, balanced against citric sweetness and an oily mouthfeel. While Ardbeg still retains its distinctive personality, it has definitely been influenced by Glenmorangie’s propensity for experimenting with cask finishing, and (dare we say it) NAS expressions.
The 10 Year Old:
Due to distillation at Ardbeg being rather sporadic prior to its resurrection in 1997, there were a few gaps in the stocks available to the new owners. Therefore, it wasn’t until 2000 that a 10-Year-Old joined the range. Knowing these older casks wouldn’t last forever, a series of work-in-progress releases was introduced in 2005, paving the way for an all new 10-Year-Old, solely created under Glenmorangie’s stewardship. The TEN we recognise today properly re-joined the range in 2008 and, for our money, it remains one of the most reliably excellent core range expressions available.
Age: 10 Years Old
46% ABV / 5cl
Blasda:
We all know Ardbeg packs a peaty punch, but if you remove some of that peat, can Ardbeg still retain its perfect balance? The mind boggling answer is "yes"!
A significant departure from their traditional style, the peat has been subdued for this limited edition, dialled back from Ardbeg's lairy standard of 55 phenolic parts per million to a delicate and breezy 8ppm. Although it was a short lived experiment, only produced between 2008 and 2010, Blasda continues to prove popular on the auction circuit thanks to its "sweet and delicious" flavour.
40% ABV / 5cl
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