Ardbeg 1974 Double Barrel
Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:23 pm
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Tasting Notes by John Hansell, Malt Advocate (Taken from Whisky Exchange):Ardbeg presents a truly innovative and luxurious creation of single cask bottlings – Ardbeg ‘Double Barrel’. Inspired by the tradition of a shooting party, Ardbeg have created a ‘Double Barrel’ guncase, crafted by a traditional guncase maker.
John Hansell wrote:After nosing and tasting both of them, I must say that they're both pretty damn good. I feared that this many years in oak would have the whiskies tasting tired and woody. I was wrong. They still maintain a vibrancy and balance of flavour, along with all of the depth and maturity one would expect in an older whisky.
Cask #3145 is the lighter in colour, and the sweet notes that balance the smoke and seaweed are not as caramelised as cask #3524. I'm tasting hints of shortbread and caramel, which show through the peat smoke, tobacco, toasted nuts, firm spice notes (cinnamon, clove and mint) and lingering brine. Very complex.
95 points
Cask #3524 is darker, with notes of sticky toffee pudding and chewy caramel that firmly support the polished leather, cigar box, roasted chestnut, smoked seaweed, tar, dark chocolate and, on the finish, espresso. A meditative whisky.
94 points
