Ardbeg 1975 - 1998 Limited Edition - 43% 70cl

Nose: Sweet and floral. Not only is there some heather in there but also a hint of lavender. The smoke is gentle and unassuming, more happy to interplay with the oak to create these delicate floral tones. A nose as beguiling as it is complex.

Palate: As it hits the palate you see an altogether different character: Immediately huge and mouth-filling, it seems to take a special fancy to the roof of the mouth where an almost sensual oiliness allows it to cling for ages. Attached to this peatiness is a quite delicious and teasingly slow build up of cocoa as the oak again superbly interacts with the phenols.

Finish: This is what you pray for from an Ardbeg: a long, almost never-ending finish with the peat refusing to leave the stage. There is also a lingering sweetness which lasts right through from the very first taste. The oak does add its usual vanilla character and the malt also makes its presence felt as a constant within the sweetness but everything is very low key and supremely.