🥃 Whisky Auctioneer

Quite drinkable, quite nice

Vanilla green industrial smoke, tar, herbs, bacon, quite brutal but ok

The shy nose surprises at first, but then there is still a lot to come. It then shows teeth on the tongue (ha, ha), the finish is also impressive. Ardbeg in young and with some power (just under 50%) works pretty well here. For a fuff in the standard range: gladly.

In the nose and body hardly any dominant peat to be found, only in the finish this typical Ardbeg ashiness arives. Fruity and floral in the nose, more sweet in the body, more smoky in the finish. Overall a decent, good whisky, pleasant for sure.

Clearly more mature than the 5YO Wee Beastie. It's a bit along the lines of the Corryvreckan, but more herbal / spicy. In fact, I find it most comparable to the 8YO Still Young from back in the days (1998-2006) which also had a good dose of spice.

Tasted at WTF 2022 (Whisky Tasting Festival) in Utrecht! Great event on the 17th of September 2022 not much to discuss for me, solid dram! earthy, peat, vanilla, menthol, tea leaves, salty and briny with some good meat, pepper on taste and finish.

Nose 22, taste 21, finish 22, balance 22

Pretty bright color. There is a slight oily.

1607) Ardbeg, 8YO, The Ultimate, For Discussion, Bottled For The Ardbeg Committee

Wow, rarely drank such a lemony Ardbeg, it's fun, with light notes of sherry, goes well and is delicious, the 8 years suit it well

Drinking ardbeg, comfortable durability. 21.5-21.5-21-21

It happens, for example, I know my older brothers and when I see a teenager, I understand what family he is from.

Only available online but for 65 euros.

Quite harmonious. Light Ardbeg smoke with light floral notes. Fits front to back. Easy to drink. 81-85 – Wow, really good one

I found the finish quite surprising - much more sherry influence than on the nose and palate. It doesn't quite fit, in my opinion. To me, this is another Ardbeg that gets high ratings because of hype. It is good, yes, but nothing special or particularly interesting.

Aroma：Pronounced；Palate：86/100; Aftertaste：Med-Long.

A class better than the An Oa and very Ardbeggian. Like it a lot.

Open today and try. Put it this way: A conceivable bottling if you want to round off the range downwards. MMn almost irrelevant. A little smoke, a little hay, a little cucumber water and something in the direction of fruit. Nothing I wouldn't get at 10 too. It is even a touch more complex and pleasing. Anyone who wants to discuss should do so ... but for "classic" Ardbeg fans this is more of a disappointment.

nose: strong smoke over a damp fire fruits on cooked citrus fruits, peppery spices vanilla caramel, dried herbs stuffy: the dryness of the peat, spray that has settled on coastal grasses, a return zan dry, unsweetened, smoke at once, almond shell with its skin and its bitterness, fruits on the citrus fruits arrive, it's yellow lemon which takes your hair off to the inside of the gums, the ashy peat suddenly returns and sweeps away leaving only burnt caramel in return final: ashy, vanilla, woody, minty, medium.

Intense and very good - the best Ardbeg in recent years and definitely much more mature, complex and better than the 5 series. Also a clear step up to the TEN. Would say on a level with the Ugi and Corry and therefore fairly priced. Fortunately, it will be readily available for a longer period of time so that you can drink it with friends and then simply buy more. The finish is especially great.

Color gold - very tasty young Ardbeg - if you like smoke, you should go here - although young but better than the TEN and many Special editions - definitely still available on the secondary market for around €90 worthwhile

Hm, seems very young to me, basic smoker, daily dram. Spontaneously Islay, but it could also be such a young Talisker, he has the Chili-Catch, or something young and smoky. Notes from a blind tasting. Admittedly, I would probably have come to Ardbeg last. I was missing the otherwise so typical sweetness. But apart from that, retrospectively it fits.

...despite its "relative youth" a great, powerful, complex Ardbeg - which you can drink neat! [Color]: Honey;

Color: Pale Straw A lovely well balanced young Ardbeg of very high quality. Best value for money, better than most of the recent no age committee bottling and much cheaper. The 90 Points on Whiskyfun are completely justified. Highly recommended.

My nose finds some refreshing approaches, but overall it's a very typical young Ardbeg in the sense of the committee releases: he has strength, but he still seems thin. Or is that not because of your young age, but because of the spirit itself? For the full review go here: https://halbendrinks.de/2022/09/18/evolution-of-ardbeg/

A worthy representative of Ayla - rich, bright, well-balanced, classic smoky-peaty profile, the palette is not striking in width, but everything you need is there in the right quantities and proportions.

Indeed debatable: why pay more money for this than for the Ten or even the Uigeadail?

Iodine freshness, pale smoke, white fruits, mirabelle plums, Comice pears, quartz, limestone, all dusted with icing sugar. A lovely breadth develops after a while. Creosote, gravel, gypsum, and a touch of vanilla. Some vegetables, fennel, celery. On the palate, it's quite fruity, slightly creamy, banana and candied grapes, vanilla ice cream, lychees, the peat is discreet. Pepper and cumin, not too strong. A beautiful, long, and powerful finish, blocks of coal, blond tobacco, vanilla icing, clove, nutmeg, mocha. Chocolate chip cookie. Bourbon Barrels highlight coastal and mineral notes, and bring out white fruits, but there are also discreet vegetal notes. https://ilikesky2020.blogspot.com/2026/02/ardbeg-8-yo-for-discussion.html

Very good value for money, a positive surprise, very solid with old Ardbeg quirks Issue price: 65 EUR

It's not very complex, but really enjoyable. So much the better.

A rather dull and monotonous smoky whisky, although somewhat interesting when it gradually opens up in the air. Dull alcohol in the aroma. 87 points? Guys, are you serious?:) I try 3 years later, I thought maybe I gave too little - no! Still 81!) N:20 T:21 F:20 B:20

This is an excellent Ardbeg.

I have a strange feeling about this Ardbeg. I bought a bottle, but also a sample, because remembering the experiences from this year's outings, be it Arrrrrrrdbeg or Scorch, which I expected more, and turned out to be medium whisky for me, with the intention of giving it to someone who liked it. And I don't know what to do. The aroma is nice, complex and rich in aromas that go well with each other, the alcohol is well hidden. The taste isn't overwhelming in my opinion, but it also has a bit of Islay's heart to it. However, he is surprised by the finish. Not only is it short, but it is also devoid of an expression that is impossible to remember. The note of the finish spoiled the entire assessment of this release of Ardbeg, which I could actually even like.

I'm rather wondering whether this bottling actually offers an incentive for lively discussions... When I think about how the Ardbeg TEN has developed in recent years, I would actually prefer this eight-year-old bottling, especially since the drinking strength is well chosen here. However, since it is (or was) in the same league as the Uigeadail and Corryvreckan in terms of price, a comparison is also obvious here. But I wouldn't hesitate for long here and give these two NAS colleagues precedence, even if their quality has decreased significantly over the past few years. Thinking about the recent Committee releases, I found both the "Blaaack", the "Scorch", and the "Fermutation" more interesting.

(Edit July 2023: I only gave the WB214993 from this bottling 87 points today because the aromas are very young and not particularly complex or pronounced. I gave this ID here 88 points back then.) I was pleasantly surprised by this one, but admittedly I had few expectations. I don't like the excessive marketing of the Ardbeg at all, but I really like the 10s, the Corryvreckan and the Uigeadail. And this one goes in the right direction, but without rough edges. This one is a really tasty, not particularly complex, but nicely intense malt.

A surprise in the blind tasting! Very tasty, also good value for money.

Very interesting aromas on the nose. Looks much older here. Unusual and not recognizable to me as Ardbeg. In the taste there is a lot of smoke and ash, which can be described as young overall. Still very drinkable. The finish is also medium-long and pleasant. In terms of price, however, completely excessive. For this price, I would expect at least a single cask in cask strength. You should definitely try this Ardbeg, I wouldn't buy it.

Very "ordinary" compared to other Ardbegs. Better an uigeadail or corryvreckan....they taste far better. You can definitely drink it, but I would still prefer other Ardbegs in terms of taste and price.

Extremely spicy nose. I get a lot of flavors from "dark" spices. Goes towards gingerbread with anise, cinnamon, clove. Plus a good pinch of pepper. Or even better: the sharp note of an excessive pinch of cinnamon. Impressive how spicy it is. Almost in the direction of herbal liqueur. Even the smoke rises in the background. The sweet Ardbeg note is not missing here either. Is very present. Also develops in the nose. On the tongue it then becomes greasy, darker. Now add some coffee liqueur to the herbal liqueur. Or even chocolate? Very sweet aromas of caramelized ginger. He keeps the slightly sharp note. The smoke develops. But very warm. campfire. Bacon. burnt meat. Coated with honey. Great. The finish is very (!!) long. The herbs come back to mind. Sweet malt. Toffee. Caramel, slightly burnt. For Discussion? Gladly. Can I have some more, please!

A good whisky, but nothing special. My expectations were not met. Ardbeg can do that better. For this price, the standard bottlings like Ardbeg 10, Uigeadail or Corryvreckan are definitely preferable.

In particular, some of the purchase prices that have now been demanded encourage discussion. Regardless of this, a very decent drop - even if the "violence" of a Corryvreckan is missing, for example.

Not bad.

wood, bitter, apple, peat, smoke, grass

Solid, not what I expected. 84 points.

There is nothing much to discuss about it, and it is OK. Sherry profile

Fair price, good whisky... I think this is best described in this way

SMELL intense, first strong notes of charcoal, tar and toffee, then a mysterious, herbal scent of fennel, celery and green paprika. As soon as these subside, milk chocolate, anise and wood smoke follow. With a small drop of water, further herbal notes appear such as coriander and lavender, aromatic wood smoke and a freshly salty sea spray. TASTE Pronounced peppery notes flow into a complex symphony of soft toffee, anise, salted caramel chocolate, eucalyptus, menthol and heather. A tingling peppery taste follows with sweet aromas, which are overlaid by hearty notes of charcoal, smoked bacon, burnt toast and tar. FINISH Long and persistent, with a hint of fresh peppermint and a pinch of clove.

Hint of youth on the nose, but doesn't taste young.

Since I'm not a big Ardbeg fan, I've had the bottle open for over 2 years now, but it actually gets better every year. Today, August 26, 2023, it is heavily spicy, darkly sweet with lots of smoke and ash. It doesn't seem as immature and bubbly as it did at the beginning. After years, we could become friends. Opened after almost 4 years and now almost empty. Too much oxidation has not done it any good. Extremely flat, now ash, cardboard, salty, watery in the mouth. No, now it's good that it's finally empty. Its peak was after 2 years of being open. 85-86-87-88-86-84 over 4 years of being open.

Nose: oops, is that a little old bottle flavor in the 8? He has a musty, old-style note of a wooden hut or a german party cellar from the 70s, where the entire room is completely covered with raw wood ;) anyway atypical for modern Ardbegs, I know rather from the older bottlings with double-digit age. This balances the whisky very well, the smoke is no longer dominant, in the background the typical citrus freshness, but there you have to smell very sharp. In contrast, the diluted Corryvreckan is almost refreshing, slightly mineral and in contrast to the 8 actually less complex. The Ardbeg smoke is side to side by something slightly meaty and cheesy, the note has hardly struck me so far undiluted. Ashtray and here a more complex moisture, coming from the barrel composition. Mouth and finish: a really well-integrated, warm and creamy alcohol that underscores the nasal impressions. I find the woody-smoky here as well, with the woody note even more dominant. In the background after the first wave of charred wood comes a little lemon, very little slightly salty caramel and somehow in the direction of smoked pulled pork and bacon. Not very expressive on the finish, but subsides evenly and straightforwardly, yet stays there warming and impressive for some time before saying goodbye. The Corryvreckan in the just-over-50% variant, on the other hand, is rather inexpressive when diluted down so "heavily"; the basic Ardbeg flavors are definitely there, but it lacks the campfire wood from the next morning and tickles the palate more than one might suspect with this amount of water. But this is my standard bottling of Ardbeg, I like it better than the Uigeadail, though everyone sees it differently. An experiment at the end, if both are already on the table: you add maybe 20% of the 8 to the rest of the Corryvreckan and suddenly have the best of both worlds in the nose - light, not too dominant woodiness, the freshness and smoke of non age stated Ardbeg and in the mouth in addition to the pointedness now also a touch of wood (cask), which suits the Corryvreckan excellent. And in addition, it remains a single malt!

Actually a good Ardbeg with creamy-sweet smoke. But you don't necessarily have to have it (at the price), there are already good established ones in the core range - 01/03/2022

Better than Ardbeg 10

Nose - classic Ardbeg with slight sourness Taste - quite young, but dense and oily Aftertaste - medium length, fruity. 21.5-21.5-22-21.5

01/29/2022: Youth is completely unreadable, everything is very soft and smooth, as for Ardbeg. Only in the aftertaste there is a certain intensity and pressure of youth. Good release with inadequate price tag.

It's not as bad as everyone says.

84,5

It has a medium viscosity and a high intensity bouquet. I have aromas of intense marine peat smoke, citrus fruit, caramel, vanilla and honey sweetness. Not very complex yet. A good balance between sweetness and dryness in terms of taste. The alcohol is relatively well integrated and it has a relatively heavy body.

Yes, that can be discussed. Young and strong, without missing notes, the depth is still missing a little.

Slightly young, good sherry profile

Duty-free prices are below RMB 500 per bottle. The value for money is quite high.

It would be nice to be in the core range. I think the pricing is fair. A very big favorite right now in 2021.

Quite a nice Ardbeg bottling at 8 years age. Somehow it seems natural to compare it with the Wee Beastie (152827), but this is a total different whisky. More mature, more sherry, creamy, a lot of ashes (almost quite a mix of Lagavulin and Laphroiag notes). What can I say, nice work Ardbeg. Oh, btw, give us such a "CS" bottling (even with 8 years of age) and make it a standard bottling. Concerning price/performance ratio: 9/10

Well it is an experiment from Ardbeg and i did quite enjoy it.

Ashy peat, floral and slightly herbaceous. Fairly short finish. A fairly simple whisky without complexity.

Some pleasant aspects to the nose, although a bit dull and vegetal after the typical citrus sweetness. Disappointing in the mouth. Arrived well enough, but flat in the middle and lacking in Ardbeggy zestiness. Again rather overwhelmed by the vegetal notes. The finish has a throat lozenge attack, which is not unpleasant, but it won’t win any prizes either. Overall this is the worst Ardbeg I’ve had in a long time. Very disappointing.

Warm smoke and ash from the campfire, pepper, menthol, sweet or overripe lemon. Not as intense in taste as expected. Again the smoke and ash, again the sweet, overripe lemon, pepper is added and makes itself felt with a slight tingle, I think I can find anise. Sweet at first, then drying, long, the smoke stays and dominates, again pepper, aniseed, and later on a very subtle lemon. All in all, a very good whisky, even the 8 years come across as older, despite the 50.8% with currently 65€ it is too expensive, I would rather stick with the ten. I can't say whether it's typical for Ardbeg, because up until now I haven't tasted enough Ardbeg (Ardbeg Ten and Uigeadail).

Not a bad aroma. Slightly youthful, but not too bubbly. Easy to drink.

Raw Ardbeg - less cask impact and more of the spirit. Sweet, sour, smoky and briney, the way Ardbeg is meant to be.

'For discussion', huh? Let me sum it up: Buy the more complex and fun TEN instead for less money. No need to open this one, a sample does the trick. While Ardbeg will almost never be really bad due to good distillate, this one is a pretty one-dimensional and no useful addition to any Ardbeg line-up whatsover. Not bad but super superfluous.

The thread continues from the nose to the finish, the smoke is nice and homely. I would highlight licorice as a prominent base note, of course with a lot of smoke. I like it a lot, but the sharpness was slightly dulling.

Nothing to do with the TEN and nothing to do with the Wee Beastie, they are 3 different categories. The nose hints are a mix of red fruit and dark influences, more from Wee Beastie; but the less pungent scent of peat is more TEN. Plus this has the potency of 50.8%, which makes for a lovely drink. I must admit that it amazed me in all its aspects: excellent on the nose and pleasant to drink.

Tasted on 09-07-2021.

Would be a good alternative to Ardbeg 10, but not for that kind of money

Ardbeg was better, at least the age statement

sweet, peaty and pushing quite a bit on the tongue.. i am hesitant to proclaim it better than the 10, since i find the sweetness a little too much.. however, i do feel that the Ardbeggian peat is expressed beautifully here

Somewhere between "no way" and "you can drink"

At the moment, every provider brings various "Limited Editions" onto the market, some at insane prices. The Ardbeg 8yo isn't the best I've had by the glass from Ardbeg, but the price of € 65 is okay in my opinion. If Ardbeg had called for € 89 or more for this dram, the customers would still snatch it from the manufacturer ... Nose: More discreet in the smoke than the Ardbeg 10yo. Light citrus notes combined with thyme, sea air and something spicy like bay leaves. Palate: The first thing here is a fine tar with strong peppery-spicy aromas. In the first sip there is nothing of the citrus fruit that was the first to stick out in the nose. But when the smoke and tar have cleared, there are nice herbal notes and sea air. in the finish there are smoke and pepper notes as well as a little mint followed by salmiak pastilles. In direct comparison to the 10yo core range, I find the 8yo more pleasant and more versatile on the palate. After several sips you will always find new impressions here. As I said, not the best from Ardbeg that I was allowed to try, but overall a good part for a reasonably reasonable price. Thick PLUS is the delivery time (2 days after ordering)

This whisky really has it all and offers an exciting and varied taste experience. A fascinating combination of scents unfolds at the first sniff. A hint of citrus and smoky aromas fill the air, accompanied by an earthy note. The nose is seduced and I can hardly wait to taste the first sip. With the first taste impression, a clearly peppery start is noticeable, which challenges the taste buds. But soon a pleasant sweetness joins in, rolling gently over the tongue. The unmistakable Ardbeg smoke is present from the start and accompanies every further aroma impression. It is a real pleasure to see these flavors dance together. For those who want to intensify the experience, I recommend adding water. This brings the sweetness to the fore and softens the initial pepper. But don't worry, the characteristic smoke remains and gives the Ardbeg 8y a unique touch. This Ardbeg is one of the better modern Ardbegs. Its multifaceted play of aromas and the harmonious balance between smoke, sweetness and pepper make it a good companion in the evening on the terrace.

Here's a good young whisky done right. It's the palate to this that really does it for me. It is still a big smoky Ardbeg upfront but has a youthful spirit character to it that adds something and works well here at a higher strength. Value (£57) : 5/10

Excellent value for money regarding the distillery price.

I don't think there's any major innovation to fuel the buzz implied on the label. It's not a low-quality whisky, but the finish isn't very pleasant, unfortunately. It's good, but certainly not the most exciting whisky in the world. Price-performance ratio: Medium-Good Would I buy it again?: I think more interesting bottles could be found. Maybe it could be appealing for beginners.

Smell: Peat, gone. At the entrance, a little bit of rock sugar is sweet. Intense, thick peat and burnt peat. Gone. Add water to dilute to about 40 degrees: the sweetness is similar to coconut water (not the white coconut milk that is mainstream in China), but it has no coconut flavor. The peaty feeling was very thick, but now it becomes very thin, with a little smell of plastic bags and saltpeter. Aftertaste after the entrance, a bit of bacon burnt in the peat. It is currently March 2023, and the price of this wine in mainland China has finally reached a more reasonable level.

2021-08-12

A truly solid Ardbeg. Unfortunately, I don't have a bottle of the 10-year-old to make a direct comparison, but from memory, I would rate the 8-year-old slightly higher. The 50.8% ABV really suits the whisky; the alcohol is still very well integrated. I would gladly welcome it in the core range. Although, even years after its release, it can still be found in various shops for a fair price.

Very interesting nose. Taste and finish - classic slightly young Ardbeg. For Friday night

Ardbeg character comes through in smoky caramels, honey dark malt, chocolate dressed with creamy barley sugar. vanilla, BBQ smoked ham. A tasty peaty dram .

There's nothing wrong with it, it's balanced, but not fun.

I ended up ordering three bottles from the Distillery Shop. Now I can have a say: As of today - January 18th, 2022 - 6 bottles can be ordered per order. Shipping costs are waived from an order value of 155 euros. In Germany, shipping is from Nuremberg: There are no additional Brexit costs such as customs and taxes. That's the good news. Now for the discussion: Currently 4384 bottles are posted as "in the collection", and apparently there are still plenty of bottles filled if each customer is allowed to order 6 bottles. I would be really interested in the edition! Compared to the Ten, I find this 8-year-old very successful. It is darker and more intense, and at 50.8% vol. it has a strength that leaves room for your own water games. In my opinion, the Ten could use an update (Ten.two), especially a new alcohol strength of 51% vol.

So unmistakably Ardbeg. If An Oa and Wee Beastie were Ardbeg-lite, this is much closer to the Ten. However instead of the sweet lemon-candy like taste of the Ten is replaced with a faint sherry characters here. Overall very close in its weight to the Ten, but the additional ABV does make a difference. Also the notes on the label turned out to be very accurate.

Nice and harmonious Ardbeg, which you can tell the youth especially in the short finish. Strangely, very little smoke ... for an arbeg. I don't remember the 10yo, either way I wouldn't want to pay more than 50 € for this 8yo.

Forget the names, buy these little gems that are the age stated Ardbeg. The 10 years old is a no-brainer, the Wee Beastie at 5 years vigorous and promising, but this 8 years old the best of both worlds. My bottle says "for discussion", but I would say the debate is settled. Make this a regular release, Ardbeg! Please? Read more on https://whisky-odyssey.com/nl/TASTING-NOTES/Ardbeg-8-and-10-years-old/

8-year-old Ardbeg "For Discussion" (55 pm). Before the first sip, it is worth giving the drink a moment to "breathe" - this opens up its full flavor and aromatic potential. For those who prefer more delicate experiences, a few drops of water can balance the intense smokiness, revealing additional, more subtle flavor notes.

Steamed vegetables, muscles, chowder, seaweed, wet ash, honey, and some creosote. I quite like it. It's a good value at MSRP.

Very solid Ardbeg.

Youtube Review: https://youtu.be/GSHZ69o9jj0

Ex Sherry Cask fits Ardbeg, a good combination!

Wow almost as good value for money as the 5 series.

I like him. A bully. Find him even a bit heavier in smoke volume than the 5 year old Wee Beastie. A throat cleaner. Those over 50% alcohol please. Is he better than the Beastie? Yes, more intense. Better than the TEN? You notice the two years less in the barrel, but the more alcohol content pushes the edgy aromas more into the nose and palate. Therefore, the comparison is not 100% possible. But yes, at the moment I'm even more inclined towards the 8.

A youthful dram, strong in its sweetish smoky note, very Ardbeg, somewhat narrow, as with many young whiskys the expression is strong in this direction; the breadth, depth and diversity is not strong. On the other hand, whoever expects the power of Uigeadail or Corryvreckan will be disappointed. It offers more elegance, balance of distillate and barrel. Long finish, the sweet oil stays for a long time - that's actually the nicest part.

A very successful committee release and fortunately always available and that's exactly why I don't understand why it's offered here for up to 200€ and let alone why someone should buy it instead of the RRP?

An experimental bottling that focuses on younger Ardbeg and was created especially for the Ardbeg community. A bold, young whisky that shows the strength of Ardbeg. One of my favorites of the recent bottlings.

Whiskyfun.com by Serge + Angus's Corner Ardbeg 8 yo 'For Discussion' (50.8%, OB, b18/03/2021) It's great that these bottles have more 'common sense' L codes these days. Colour: bright straw. Nose: delicately salty, this sense of things like smoked and pink sea salts. Bath bombs, sandalwood, briny pickling juices, kippers - feels notably more mature after the 5yo, perhaps deceptively so. But still, it's another very good one. With water: getting more aromatic and medicinal now with things like witchhazel, wintergreen and aniseed. Some touches of germoline and camphor as well. Mouth: hoho, lovely oily and textural peat, slathered on phenolics, engine grease, tar extracts, some punchy hospital vibes, gauze, iodine, black pepper and thick sooty notes. Totally superb and the texture is really what impresses most! With water: wonderful peat flavour, cough medicines, pepper and anchovy paste. A terrific tarriness that feels totally Ardbeggy. Finish: good length, peppery, tarry, slightly fishy and still with this wonderfully oily and phenolic vibe. Comments: I find this wee baby just absolutely superb, what I love most is that it feels not only technically good, but with this wonderfully texture it also feels like it has a soul to match. Benchmark young modern Ardbeg at its best. I will be buying a couple of bottles and you may take that as a firm seal of approval. SGP: 577 - 90 points.

Very good dram for his 8 years!

I don’t know when is the bottling date for my batch but I save it under this WB ID so I assume this is the one This bottle is kind of mute when you first open it. I review this base on it is fully opened up after 3 years and I revisited it and become so good

By my tasting is a very good Dram, very easy to drink, just like it.

Finally a enjoyable comittee release for a reasanoble price.

Greater intensity than the 10 YO, but less complexity and a shorter finish

Purchased at the distillery for £50. Sadly very hard to come by in Canada. Really enjoyed this one, young but not too young. Clean profile, with some nice sweetness to go along with a clear Ardbeg distillate character.

It's definitely not what I wanted, but half way there it's quite good and you really don't have any reason to complain, especially with a view to the price. In my opinion, the seasoned sherry casks were not the best choice and diluting to 50.8% certainly didn't have to be. But with this bottling we are definitely moving in the direction of what I hope for in the long term. Cask strength and bourbon casks would be my priority with a view to a sequel - as far as I'm concerned, it can also be 8 years old instead of 10 years old. Youth is not a disturbing factor here - I would like to have a boisterous, vigorous smoker. repurchase? Does not have to be. I hope that this direction will be pursued further and ideally one day the Ten will be bottled (again) at cask strength. I find this bottling interesting, especially in terms of the concept, but I'm particularly pleased that it was released in such large numbers that all pinball machines don't stand a chance and there is no secondary market price. More experiments in this direction are welcome!

Peated...

Sample left for quite a while, initially, when I had this bottle, i felt it was quite monotonous. I think it improved with time Nose : Peaty sweetness , some menthol , minerals , green peat herbal Palate : sweet entry, growing prickly ABV, some oiliness, herbal, layers of sweetness Finish : the prickly coating continues, medium finish, slight lingering ash

You can smell the bourbon barrel and maybe Amantillado, but I'm not sure.

Nose: spicy and smoky, cold coals and ash, some tar, citrus notes (lime), pineapple, lovage, some liquorice, some sweetness, light ginger and anise Palate: Soft and smoky, ash, coals and some tar, citrus notes (lime), some sweetness, some pineapple, unfortunately not fully present Finish: medium length, warm, sweet, smoky, pineapple, citrus notes, lovage, light ginger and aniseed, some liquorice Rating: it's clear, but because of the inconsistent mouthfeel it misses more. Smoke and citrus notes, herbs and pineapple determine the picture. If the pineapple were as present on the palate as it is on the nose and the finish would be very good; so he's "just" totally okay. Personally, I still prefer the Ten. 86/100 or 6/10

If you like Ardbeg 10 you will almost certainly like this. However, what is the motivation to buy this over the staple OB, it being almost double the price and harder to find? The almost 5% alcohol add very little IMO. A nice whisky, not deserving of spending 90 euros on.

Discussively, the very age for youthful vigour, just at the curve where it turns slightly bitter. Matured in ex-bourbon casks. Non-chill-filtered. Not coloured. Thick primary legs. Mid-size secondary legs. Droplet trails. Indeed taste-wise as well, between the 5 YO Wee Beastie and the 10 YO. Preferred neat.

I have no idea what discussion they meant, there is nothing to discuss about, it's just a typical Ardbeg - a lot of peat smoke, yellow fruits, flowers, some citrus. Good strength, good nose, good taste, good finish, but overpriced af - I'd rather get two bottles of Wee Beastie with a Subway Sandwich as a bonus.

Excellent whisky! I think it is better than some of the other committee releases.

Tried a sample.

One of the very few proper official Ardbegs of the last few years. Age statement, higher abv, a fat and oily mouthfeel, great cask selection and no cringy marketing. Skip the pirates and dragons and grab a few bottles of this baby while it‘s available. ‘Tis one for the drinkers.

Nose: Peat and flowers Taste: Quite complex. Smoke, fruit, pepper, coffee and burned malt Finish: Salt and pepper Good complex Ardbeg at a good ABV

The aroma is alcoholic, pungent, with a slight sweetness. After a sip - more honey, flowers and molasses, vanilla, a little spice. The taste is powerful, peaty, fatty and oily. Despite the degree, it’s not harsh. Lots of sweet peat, sherry. One-sided. The aftertaste is very long and peaty, but goes into sweetness. Don't drink too much, you get bored.

an age statement Ardbeg bottled at just over 50% ABV definitely worth to try

Great Ardbeg. Not simple at all despite his age.

Aroma: A bit shy, but it's temporary. Oiliness, smoked meats, smoke, tropical fruits, citrus fruits, rye bread, spicy spices. Taste: bright, sweet with bitterness, smoky. Peat smoke, ash, creamy theme, vanilla, citrus, coniferous-herbal shades. Spicy spices, lots of pepper. Finish: dry with bitterness. Lots of pepper, thick smoke, diesel fuel. Conclusion: Considering this release from the standpoint of a regular lineup or a batch history, it would have turned out quite well, but you shouldn't serve it with Committee sauce.

Nice ardbeg. Nice story

From what I've read and seen on Youtube, there's reservation in liking this Ardbeg too much. And it stems from the possibility of the standard 10YO, dropping to an 8YO. This would be unfair to this particular 8YO

Smoke, electrical wiring, stylus, medicine, dust, burnt wood, mineral, loaf, peanut, green apple, lollipop, mint.

Most salty whisky i have tried.

A tasty malt, it doesn't do anything wrong, but it could use a bit more punch and a touch of oak. Thanks to OneManArmy84 for sharing the bottle...

Not bad, maybe a bit too sharp and young.

This bottling is a real surprise, a positive surprise! For me significantly better than the Ardbeg Ten and at least on par with the Corryvreckan. I also think it's great that Ardbeg writes a single-digit age on the bottle here, please keep it up.

As a longstanding committee member, this bottling makes me think in several ways. On the one hand, it is clearly recognizable as Ardbeg by its smell, has undoubtedly the character of a distillery, but leaves a lot to be desired. On the other hand, I wonder where the journey is going and what this bottling is actually "supposed to". If it is to replace the TEN in the medium term, I will be very sad. And if he is to show that Ardbeg can also do "8" (I think the Lagavulin "8" is great), the experiment has failed. In my experience, Ardbeg has fluctuations in the standard bottlings (less in the TEN, more in the Corryvreckan), and yet never a bottling, not even the Wee Beastie 5yo or any committee bottling, fell short of expectations. As I said, it has a typical Ardbeg nose, no real off-notes in the taste, but nothing "special" or "delicious" either. No "ooomph" either. It has a bit of cereal / vegetal (fennel ???), but a Glengoyne 10yo has more of it (and tastier, more agricultural there). I may be missing a bit of sherry influence in the taste, I can't find any noteworthy taste in the mouth, rather in the nose. The finish is slack and short, a bit arbitrary. Although it is also easy to drink "unstretched" and by no means burns or is bubbly, I tried to unlock the taste notes with a little water - no result. Conclusion: A craftsmanship certainly solidly made single malt from Ardbeg, which has no outstanding tasting or drinking properties, leaves some wishes unanswered and many questions unanswered and does not do justice to its price.

A bit thin behind the smoke, 8 years old, ok for that and the price.

A truly great Ardbeg. Has everything Ardbeg fans (as well as peat fans) ask for in a whisky. The nose is quite beautiful, the palate rich and pretty complex for an 8 year-old, and the finish is long, lingering, and warming. I hope it makes it to the core range, because it's better than the wee beastie. It's like Ardbeg 10 on steroids.

04/10/2022 86 / 100 Color: Light amber, natural. AROMA - 20.5 / 25 Smoky, seaweed-like, and quite flat. A delicate note of rosehip marmalade, some herbs, Earl Grey tea, currants and plum jam, and chocolate-dipped cherries. There's relatively little smoke for an Ardbeg. Simple and pleasant. TASTE - 21.5 / 25 Sweet and balanced by the bitterness of the wood, it lingers on the tongue and transitions into a smoky, fruity aroma (dried fruit). Overall, unfortunately, there's very little going on here. FINISH - 22.5 / 25 Jam, dark chocolate, buckwheat honey, and ash. It has a delicate wineiness that lingers for a long time, pleasantly fading on the tongue. It's much more appealing than the taste itself. BALANCE - 21.5 / 25 It's Committee Release, and I bought the sample from Mariusz Cybula. Overall, it's a pretty good whisky, but the quality doesn't quite match the price.

I tried the whisky for more then 12 month now and I'm still surprised. What a beautiful Ardbeg. It's hard to believe, but I wouldn't have expected Ardbeg to have this quality in this price segment. In addition to the sometimes catastrophically bad special bottlings and committee releases, this 8-year-old "For discussion" appears to be a wonderful ray of hope. The whisky is significantly better, deeper, even more “mature” than the regular 10-year-old Ardbeg. Sweet, herbal, light fruity and without any annoying bitterness. Congratulations Ardbeg, you can still do it - please do more of it in the future!

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Smell, aroma, taste, finish and in general very balanced and tasty. By the way, it's available from the Committee for €65 and you can order up to 6 bottles. Too bad to sell! A great Ardbeg!!

More on www.whisky-siegen.de The nose begins with wood smoke and a subtle citrus note. Then it gets funny: It's this scent when you make your own vegetable broth and cook the root vegetables and add parsley. Then replaced by sweet toffee and bitumen. If this conglomerate subsides in the nose, milk chocolate, aniseed and wood smoke follow. Friends, this really takes getting used to for me. Taste: Very peppery to begin with, but quite soft. Still powerful and warming on the palate with smoke, anise and salted caramel. Eucalyptus can be tasted and, towards the finish, also clove, with increasing dryness. The finish is medium to long - with smoked bacon, roasted aromas and aniseed again.

The Ardbeg 8 Years Old for Discussion was available to buy online for Committee members in July 2021. The limited edition spent 8 years in the ex-sherry cask. The single malt whisky impresses as a natural bottling, unfiltered and uncoloured. Aroma: Intense, first strong notes of charcoal, creosote, tar and toffee, then a mysterious, vegetal scent of fennel, celery and green pepper. Once these fade away, milk chocolate, anise and wood smoke follow. With a small drop of water, further herbal notes such as fennel, coriander and lavender appear, with the aromatic wood smoke typical of Ardbeg and a short, fresh-salty sea spray. Palate: Pronounced peppery notes lead to a complex symphony of soft toffee, aniseed, salted caramel chocolate, eucalyptus, menthol and briar wood. A tingly peppery taste follows with sweet aromas overlaid by savory notes of charcoal, smoked bacon, burnt toast and tar.

Not bad for a bottle of Ardbeg at such a price.

Very fresh, very fruity, salty and sweet. Peat is there, quite intensive but balanced. Great young Ardbeg

Totally ok for a fifty

Sharp and young. Still exciting and a good alternative to other Islay malts. Recommended.

Great new Ardbeg whisky, I am very surprised, definitely something different from the previous bottlings, an indescribable scent of flowery herbs ... Immediately makes you want to have another dram :-) Well done, great price, many thanks to Ardbeg

Experimental Ardbeg 8. Let me tell you: given the many diverse reviews, more positive ones, it means that the experiment was a success!

Bang for your buck

Overall I’d give it 8/10 one of the better Ardbeg releases in recent years. Reasonably priced and nice to see a return of the age statement for £57 I’d take another bottle. Full review at: https://twowhiskybros.co.uk/blogs/blog/ardbeg-8-for-discussion

Nose: Strawberry, redcurrant, caramel, liqueur cherries, donut freshly glazed, sliced green peppers, hazelnuts, butter biscuits, light saltiness and seainess, bitter syrup-like medicine Taste: Berries, menthol, plum jam, ashtray, earthy, cyrus, spicy, mineral, sea cool, white pepper, eucalyptus, grilled bacon, milk fudge, lubricants at the end More interesting after adding water

An Ardbeg that finally lives up to my expectations I might add...after the disappointing Ten and WeeBeasty, I am very pleased with the 8. Peaty, smoky, a light saltiness and the sherry cask is also well received. Pleasant to drink, the alcohol is unremarkable. The 8 obviously benefits from being bottled at cask strength - well done Ardbeg.

Great young Ardbeg at an ABV that hits my sweet spot. Bought via the Ardbeg webshop at a holiday in Germany for €65 in april 2022...

Peat, smoke, less burnt but more marine than in the 13 YO, a bit peppery, a lot of spices and herbs, vanilla, salted caramel, toffee, honey, lavender, orange peel, some citrus. Rather on the sweet side.

smoke, pepper, spice, charcoal. amazing dram! *the whiskies rated under 70% do not fit the astringency profile i am looking for, but are good, tasty whiskies - great for casual enjoyment and everyday drams with friends. the whiskies rated 70% or above either hit the astringency profile or are promising candidates for the astringency journey. 70% is low astringency, the higher the percentage, the higher the astringency. 100% is astringency perfection. :)

This whisky is totally overrated

Like the 10yo but better nose and finish explain the price difference compared to the 10…. Do they justify it!? I don't know! The difference is there, it is subtle and must be sought with direct comparison. The first difference and the easiest to notice is a greater oiliness.

Didn’t know what to expect. As big Islay fan, but not necessarily Ardbeg, I just loved this release. I found it excellent, easy to drink, better than the TEN to my opinion. It has more structure (oily) and indeed a hint of vegetal flavour all along (I liked the comparison with bison grass). To me it felt less wild than the TEN, and I just loved the oiliness. 50.8 ABV is just great, you don’t feel the youth so much. In terms of taste it’s Islayish/Ardbegish, I won’t comment much since many have done it already. Peaty, coastal, oily with a vegetal touch, great balance. Bang for your buck.

You can currently even buy a second bottle as a committee member ????

A more rounded version of the 10 and has a great balance.nice level of peat which you’d expect from an Ardbeg but not long enough in the mouth for me.

Good, easy-drinking whisky. To be repeated!

Mainly fruity notes (plum), with an underlying smoky note.

Smokey but not peaty. Very drinkable.

a good daily drink

Discussion…….