🥃 Whisky Auctioneer

I like the smell and the taste (here especially the mineral-smoky component), but I find the finish takes getting used to. Reminds me of canned pineapple with something chemical. With more air in the bottle, it becomes pleasantly drinkable. Delicate smoke, malty, citrus and ash. Tastes good!

Aroma Smoke, maritime, salt, citrus notes The taste Dry smoke, citrus notes, typical Ardbeg, spicy aftertaste Unfortunately relatively short, taste really crashes, smoky, dry, some spice I really had to make an effort to hide the current price in the assessment, because we are actually only in the 60 euro league here (issue price converted to 0.7).

Ardbeg's comparatively light character comes through well on the nose and is carried well, outstandingly well in fact, by the minerality of the Manzanilla sherry, which in my opinion makes it a really exciting whisky in the PLV. For me an all day dram that can be drunk on many occasions. N- Immediately there, never over and always decent. A fresh whisky, very citrusy without being sour. Wonderful freshness of lemon balm with fruity aromas of light grapes and yellow plums. Salt plays a role all the time. Not particularly complex, no nosing for 40 minutes. But what you have in your nose is really very good. A little Mojito light. Every now and then there is a flash of chocolate. Smoke comes with ashes, as if you were putting the fireplace ashes from the night before on the tray into the bin. M- soft with clear white wine aromas and pleasantly integrated smoke. Again, fresh with a great balance, no alcohol and salty brine. A bit too short in the finish, although it sits on the ash for quite a long time.

Tasty and uncomplicated.

The release appeared in 2022 and opened a new Ardbeg line for Global Travel Retail. It plans to experiment with various unusual exposures. This whisky was matured in American oak barrels and also in Manzanilla sherry casks. This dry variety of Spanish sherry, whose name translates as “chamomile,” has a yellow color palette and a fragrant aroma of juicy fruits and meadow flowers. Whisky has increased strength and natural characteristics. Nose: fresh, phenolic-floral, honey aroma, slightly alcoholic at first. Vanilla, honey apples, canned fruit, florality, phenols, ash, smoked peanuts, puff pastry, lemon zest, mixed peppers, pine resin, menthol, saltiness, seaweed, pine nuts, tart oak Palate: The flavor is very smoky and peppery, the texture is nice and quite buttery. Roasted peanuts with flower honey, ash, fresh baked goods, lemon juice, bitterness of lemon zest, pine needles, menthol, salt, seaweed, a mixture of peppers, herbs, astringent tannins Finish: Quite long, warming, peppery, smoky and tannic, with vanilla, florality, zest and a maritime theme. Balance: young, pleasant, fresh, honey-floral smokey with an island character. Manzanilla sherry gave the Ardbeg distillate unusual floralness and fruitiness and hid the roughness of young spirits. Despite its youth, the whisky is quite harmonious and pleasant, with a long aftertaste. N21,P22,F22,B20

Batch: SP/MZL 2022/01-ST An Ardbeg NAS that blends whisky matured in casks of a mysterious nature (virgin oak?) with whisky matured in Manzanilla casks. Which means that part of what’s in this bottle was matured exclusively in Manzanilla, which is, in my opinion, the correct way to do it. I think the aromas and flavors you get from maturing, for example, a whisky for 11 years in ex-bourbon and then finishing it for one year in Oloroso can’t even be compared to what you get by maturing that same whisky separately for 12 years in both kinds of casks and then blending them together. Anyway, rambling is over. Let’s see what this has to offer: Nose: Fruity, funky, woody, salty, peated. The first thing we find is a broad spectrum of apple notes, ranging from the freshness of heaps of freshly chopped green apples to very ripe apples, cider, and some apple vinegar... even a yeasty funk. The peat is strong and manifests itself through maritime notes, grilled seafood, seaweed, and sea breeze. Bonfire, dusty wood, vegetal vanilla, a mix of stale nuts, and lots of ginger. This is also a very woody whisky, the oak having an artificial and very green character, and everything is covered by a powerful sea salt note. It also presents what I would consider some off notes, something like cardboard and stagnant dirty water. On the palate, it is tremendously woody, with sour ginger, spicy white pepper, and bitter tannins (were those Manzanilla casks practically virgin oak?). Beneath this aggressive layer of spicy wood, you can glimpse something else: more funky cider, bonfire by the sea, almonds, vegetal vanilla, seawater, pineapple... There’s probably more complexity here, but the astringent and bitter wood is so loud that it’s difficult to tell. The finish is very dry, as expected, and at the same time funky, ashy, and salty. A strange combination. An absolute explosion of tannins, almost like a red wine. The questionable-quality oak notes are obvious. Then come ashy bonfire, chili, brine. Off notes. Not very good. I have to chase it with water. A failed experiment, in my humble opinion. It’s like a younger, unbalancedly funky and bourbonized version of the 10yo. It is completely too woody, spicy, and tannic, the combination of apple and yeast gives it very strange notes like rotten apple, it’s too salty with almost no sweetness to balance it out, the smoke is mostly just an unpleasant mouth sensation since the aromas and flavors of the smoke are nearly eclipsed by the wood, it has clear off notes, it doesn’t particularly taste like Manzanilla... On the positive side, the nose is interesting (yeasty cider, salty oysters, and raw ginger... risky!), the idea of maturing Islay whisky in Fino or Manzanilla is a good one if carried out properly and I hope they keep trying (next time, preferably with casks that actually held Fino/Manzanilla for more than one or two months!), and it has been a very useful conversation starter, since everyone I know has tried Fino/Manzanilla and immediately becomes curious about a peated whisky matured in casks of something they know well. One of the things I think distinguishes the whisky connoisseur from the layman is that the connoisseur is capable of interpreting almost any whisky by finding a perspective on it that brings its notes together into a harmonious and meaningful whole. In other words, an amateur (whose etymology is lover) can usually find a way to enjoy almost every whisky because they have made the effort to understand it before, during, and after drinking it, and they do so simply out of love for the liquid. They can make the whisky talk, and tell a story, have a conversation. The noob is the one who can only enjoy two or three bottles, which he doesn’t even like that much anyway, and dislikes everything new because it isn’t what they already know. Well, this whisky makes me feel like a damn noob. It’s a whole liter of whisky, so I’ve given it something like 30 chances, I’m very familiar both with Ardbeg (especially the 10, which is the closest thing to this Smoketrails) and with Fino/Manzanilla wine (I live in Andalusia lol), but even after finishing the bottle, I still have no idea what I’m supposed to do to understand it, let alone enjoy it. It should come with an instruction manual or something.

Nose: citrus, warm campfire embers, cedar, vanilla Taste: surprisingly fresh, almost minty, ashy, with a drop of water it becomes sweeter, slightly sticky, aniseed, dry Finish: light cocoa, anise, maybe a bit of banana, dry The Manzanilla comes into its own on the nose and is a lot of fun with the typical Ardbeg taste.

Good value.

I really like it, it would be nice if he showed up at an airport in Germany, the combination of Ardbeg and Manzanilla fits great

Tastes like a sweet Uigeadail and I think you can taste the small age here too. I think I prefer a Classic of Islay.

very nice and straight Ardbeg without too heavy peatyness. Perfect everyday Dram in the summer, but nothing special

Ardbeg mixed with Chinese Baidu. Why does it smell like cabbage? But otherwise ardbeg. Really weird ardbeg. The whole thing didn't sit well.

This was a surprise for me: The Ardbeg Smoketrails (Travel Retail Exclusive) aged for 5 years in Bourbon barrels and finished for 5 years in Manzanilla casks added this salty-sweet, saltwater taffy element to the modern Ardbeg ash and soot taste.

Ardbeg character compliments the Spanish sherry cask well. A repeat of the Ardberg Ardbog which had a similar cask. Creamy caramels, peaty, vanilla , warming spices, peaches and coconuts. Appears a bit thin on the palate.

Price tag 67GBP in Heathrow & Stansted Airport on Mid September 2022

21 19 19 20 79 just a young smoky whisky, the nose is not bad, but then .. singed, bitter ... such a pleasure (((...

Nose: sour and burnt (lemon zest and burnt healing), burnt matches (sulphur heads). If you throw the malt into a garbage bag after boiling and do not throw it away, then this is how it smells)))) Smoky malt sour. I don't know what to like here... Taste: youth in everything... it even seems to me that their 5-year-old is more mature... I don’t know how to describe it, perhaps “another attempt to hide all the flaws behind the cake, but they still find a way out.” Clearly alcoholic, even chemical, sweet (according to fruit), The finish is not going anywhere))) - long and even pleasant. Salted pine charcoal with vanilla. Completely unbalanced. 0120'83

Simple but nice, young but drinkable

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Matured in American oak ex-bourbon casks and Manzanilla ex-sherry casks. Non-chill filtered. Not coloured. Mid-size slowly forming primary legs. Mid-size slow secondary legs. Droplets.

Quite light, airy whisky combining directly opposite principles - dirty industrial-mineral and sweet fruity-candy and it works quite well, you are alternately covered by one, then the other and all this is very fused and smooth, fascinating and drinkable. In development, the industrial smoothly gives way to smoky-peaty tones.

On the nose there is burnt plastic, soot, carbon. The influence of wine barrels is not felt at all at first. After about 10 minutes something sweet begins to appear, like candy or something like that. The taste is hot and biting. Coal, soot, burning. Lemon zest on the tip of the tongue. Overall, I expected more from this whisky. It turned out to be just a good young drink. Priced at up to 40..50 euros. I don't want to pay more for it anymore

An ardbeg with a prominent marine flavor. It is slightly different from the regular ardbeg style and does not have a prominent fruity sweetness.

Ardbeg’s core identity(peat and lemon notes) is well captured, but everything else feels a bit lacking.

Aroma-Moderate；Palate-85/100; Aftertaste-Medium ；

21+21+20+20

Overall a decent Ardbeg. Who can come up with tart and nutty salty manzanilla barrel notes. However, he appears light, sometimes thin and almost fragile. Haven't had an Ardbeg for a long time, it's OK, but I'm not enthusiastic about it now.

I think it's better than I expected. A large bottle wouldn't be a bad purchase here.

A light ardbeg with the aroma of fried hazelnuts and a relatively thin body

Wee Beastie with sherry profile.

Although it is a little different from the typical smokiness of Ardbeg, this whisky brings out the unique nuttiness and sweetness of malt. The appropriate fit makes it easy to drink without much discomfort, and it provides an appropriate layer. However, people who are sensitive to watery off-notes should be careful.

Very nice whisky. The notes of nuts and almonds pair wonderful with the ardbeg spirit.

Weak and watery. No smoke, no peat, just ash water. Mediocre.

Clearly recognizable as Ardbeg. Young, but quite complex. An interplay of salt and sweetness, plus walnuts, green apples and lemon as the dominant notes.

Mostly rather straightforward Ardbeg, but probably more salty and with some sweeter notes than usual.

This is a whisky that's enjoyable to sip and has no obvious flaws. Then I want to pay tribute to the "big guys" who scored more than 70 points. Sharing a 7ml drink is not enough to evaluate a wine.

Rather tasty. If this had but a few ‰ more, it would be even better. The nose, as well as the finish, are rather short. The taste is one lovely smoky sweetness

A very comfortable whisky compared to Ardbeg 10 Instead of lowering the intensity of stimulation, soft vanilla/cocoa adds a layer to provide complexity + drinkability. It is balanced rather than stimulating and looks very good for daily use.

This whisky has all the aromas typical of Ardbeg, but only in very low concentrations and therefore very difficult to identify. The aroma is slightly smoky, ashy, after a while also yellow apples, soft woodiness and malt. Iodine is also present but only in a very light form, the taste is perhaps a little too bitter, medium woodiness, sweet yellow apples are suppressed by the penetrating pungent smoke. This whisky seems to me to be too "light". It is ok for drinking but not much for tasting.

Dry, herbaceous peat, blond tobacco, the Sherry brings a lovely fruitiness: mirabelle and greengage plums, grapefruit, liquid honey, powerful smoke, solid, rocky minerality, waxed wood, basalt, granite. The iodine is subtle, but still perceptible, with hints of sea spray, foam, and a pinch of salt. On the palate, it works beautifully: oily, rosewater mingling with the peat, lychees, lime, subtly spiced, icing sugar, leading to a very long, explosive, peppery finish. Almond paste, coconut, vanilla ice cream. I really enjoyed it; I think the marriage between Bourbon and Manzanilla Sherry is successful, and it goes well with the Ardbeg profile. https://ilikesky2020.blogspot.com/2025/10/ardbeg-smoketrails-manzanilla-edition.html

Also £69 in Edinburgh If you like the Uigedail you will love the Smoketrails ???????? More sherry influence than the Uigedail. Vanilla ice cream, nuts, a little milder in the mouth than the Uigedail because it has 46% and is incredibly delicate with a long, oily finish. Smoke is typical Ardbeg, campfire and cold fireplace. I would have said spontaneously that the Uigedail has a little more smoke... At £70 and a liter it's a buy recommendation. I also tried the 19, which falls well behind the Smoketrails without looking at the price

Really good. Not a typical Ardbeg but the Manzanilla cask works really good here. Citrus, Light Smoke, Tobacco, Vanilla

A high-end tasting at Pit Krause in the Whisky Museum with my friend Hs305 - more legendary status is hardly possible... :-) Just brief notes on the whiskys. That was the nightcap whisky at the end.

Really smoky and pleasant

Appropriate saltiness and refreshing feeling, not worse than expected, the texture is quite different, but backward compatible with ardbog

↑↑↑ Click show in original language Hahahaha, true brother, hahahahaha, the crime is not so far, is 85 points murderous? Ah Wenxiang87 plate 86 finish 86 On the whole, the taste of the new wine is still a little bit heavier. I think the smell is passable, but I feel a little lost when I drink it. However, it is still an Abbe, and I think the display of the overall style will represent some trends of the new Abbe, although it cannot satisfy everyone. After all, in the past few years, everyone has more or less been harvested by Abe.

Tried blind, nose is really beautiful for me but after it everything feels thin and weak... Overall little bit steep in price to buy a bottle but for me worth trying

Wow, wow, wow. Cant believe it is so nice. Exactly as I like, super Islay, super salty , maritime and smoky.

I was really looking forward to this. Honestly speaking, at today's Ardbeg prices, throwing out a liter bottle of Travel Retail at the price of regular Speyside Whisky is a bit confusing and suspicious. On the nose, at the right moment, you can feel a soft, light smokiness connected with the aromas of the wine. This is also noticeable there in combination with vanilla, honey, light yellow fruits, also grapefruit. Later on I feel the smokiness starts to dominate the character more. It's such a cold nasty smoke in taste. Whisky is bitter to the point of ash. In the second sip, I can already recognize the sweetness, but in the context of the licked cold potato that I found in the extinguished cellar in the morning. So this won't be love at first sight. I had to pour a standard desi immediately after that and see for myself how excellent this pipe is. Actually, it was only here that I realized that the new Ardbeg does not have the character of a hospital, iodine, disinfection, citrus and freshness. So not much for me. This would probably be a great whisky for Penicillin, or a whisky sour.

[January 2023] I had a dram during the "All Killer No Filler" tasting at the Walhalla of Whisky in Regensburg. This is a modern Ardbeg of rather average quality only, so there is no justification for any higher price than the standard 10-years old edition from a drinker's perspective (imho).

A decent bottling for an Ardbeg.

Ardbeg Smoketrails Manzanilla Ed, 46%. 30ml sample paired with Barbadillo Manzanilla as part of a tasting, March 2023. Light yellow. Aroma is cooked pork with apple sauce, some barbecue sauce tang. Body is lightly to moderately oily. Taste is like a sweeter and more appley version of Ardbeg 10, and it’s not an improvement for me. Salty with a breathy smoke. The lemon notes and the biscuity American oak that I enjoy from the standard 10 are completely buried by the sweetness and that doesn’t quite do it for me. It’s still a perfectly decent whisky and I have no real complaints. Bottled at an ABV that offers enough flavour and drinkability without being watery ... though I think I’d prefer it just a little higher. Enjoyable and a little above-average but you certainly won’t find me scrambling around for a bottle. I’ve seen it for £70 a litre which isn’t a horrible price for a special edition whisky these days, although it’s not a bargain either. 3.475/83

Color? Young! The first impression is positive. It doesn't smell like a typical Ardbeg, more like a Kilchoman. The smoke trail is slightly sweet, almost fruity. The Manzanilla barrel comes through quite well. Only in the background then a fireplace. Something like garden hose, rubber, but also spices and herbs. A first sip comes very aromatic, but also very narrow-chested. little smoke, little bang, rather hay or hay fire, like burnt grass. But here, too, a nice, aromatic note, very floral, slightly spicy. Can well understand why he is judged critically I personally like it a lot though...

The Smoketrails Manzanilla is not a bad malt, but not a really good one either. It offers what you would expect from Ardbeg, namely powerful Islay peat smoke. Unfortunately not much more. You can clearly see his youth. I also find the price, measured against the quality, more than impressive. https://www.aboutwhisky.de/tastingnotes/ardbeg-smoketrails-manzanilla-2022/

COLOR: light gold - really tasty very good Ardbeg - better than the TEN even without age - but about 120€ are too expensive, I'd rather buy 3 TEN from

This is an okaish modern ardbeg on sweet peat with a little citrus. Tastes quite young and has a peppery aftertaste.

It was well smeared with sherry, compared head-to-head with the 5-year-old, and I will not say that there is any advantage here, but if you think about the prices, I would rather take three bottles of the 5-year-old...

The most gastronomic Ardbeg.

I am very hesitant to give this ardbeg an 87. But he just doesn't make it. An 86.5 would be ideal but that is not possible. So an 86 should do it. Which I think is too little actually. You got it…. I'm in a serious discussion with myself... He's better than the uigeadail. Better than the an oa. But no better than the corryvreckan or the 10.

A bit too tart for me, the wood is too dominant and doesn't harmonize, the finish is surprisingly short for an Ardbeg - 04/15/2023

Flawed, immature and thin. Another disgrace for Ardbeg.

Not worth the 90 bucks per bottle

A good one. Nothing special except the intriguing smell. Too expensive for what it offers but hey, it's an Ardbeg so, you pay 50% more than it deserve.

The worst Ardbeg I've ever had!

...a limited bottling in a liter bottle at an acceptable price - a very pleasant malt, somewhat "mainstream"-oriented, not a typical Ardbeg - pleasant, drinkable and good! [Color]: Straw;

85,00

Price update for Nov 22 at London Heathrow Airport: 75GBP (approx. 86.50€)

Tasted on 12-18-2022. 84-86

Not worth the money. Flat, thinny, waterish, short.

Solid but simple, I'd rather choose Uigeadail.

Nose: Rue~ It is too rich in grain and fermented content, almost thinking that I am drinking Chinese baijiu. Sweat, old boots, sour wet market, eucalyptus, dough. But there is one thing to say, the alcohol feeling is suppressed very well, and the expressive power is also very good. These two sentences are said on the premise of ignoring the aroma. Time for... ripe pineapples! (horrified face/flicker/you need to stay away from the cup), the oil texture is strong (but not the kind that smells good), and in the end it is not as bad as I imagined. Drink: In 46% of the cases, the palate can add some points, more peat content in the mouth, more fruit, and more balanced. The flaws in the nose are not so obvious here, but the finish will be uncomfortable Soapy and lasts a long time. Overall: Generally speaking, you need to keep your expectations to a minimum and give them more time, but why bother?

The aroma is simpler than the previous 10, sharp, fresh, soapy. Lemon, wet wood, light smoke. Very simple scent. The taste is very peaty, the peat is not smoothed out and is rough. Ash, sea sand, dried herbs and spices, in a ring of sweet peat. Surprisingly flat release, as if in pursuit of the peatiest Ardbeg they forgot about everything else, including even Ardbeg itself.

Inconsistent in taste, sample is enough for me

It’s simply good. The balance of sweetness and smokiness is nice, though peat lovers might find it a bit lacking. I’d be willing to buy it if it’s around €80.

Not particularly complex, but definitely tasty. Typical Ardbeg citrus notes, smoke, sweet, nutty, a little salted caramel. But it goes down relatively quickly and despite the 46% ABV it's rather delicate, almost thin in the mouth.

Ardbeg Smoketrails, Manzanilla Edition, 46%. Aged in American Oak & Manzanilla Nose: Peanuts and salted almonds, along with ground mustard seeds, soybean sprouts, and sand-lime brick. Sweeter aromas slowly emerge, including slightly tart apples and sweetened lemon juice. The background remains earthy, nutty, and pleasantly salty. Palate: Walnuts and salt, a touch of salty licorice. A hint of iodine and plenty of ash. Yellow gummy bears, very mild peanut butter, lemon drops, and fennel. Finish: Medium to long, still a salted nut mix, mustard, fennel and a slight sweetness. Conclusion: A fine Ardbeg, but like all its bottlings, it has to compete with the truly excellent 10-year-old. And unfortunately, the Smoketrails can't quite keep up with that, although it still delivers very good quality. 85/100 points (2025)

Anyone looking for a smoke monster or expecting a straight forward Islay Malt will certainly be disappointed here. But there is Uigeadail or Corryvreckan. The Smoketrails, on the other hand, is really lovely and should therefore be aimed more at the squad of whisky drinkers who like it a little softer. Personally, I like it quite well, a consistently successful whisky overall, which has its justification and which I could generally imagine in the core range. At around 67 pounds, not overly priced even for a NAS (as of 2022) and therefore definitely worth recommending if you like this type of Islay malt.

The sweetness on the nose is not my thing, but after that it gets a bit tart, which suits the bottling better. Pleasant smoke note. But it remains a younger Ardbeg. 71-80 – Fine, like to drink by time

Not an Ardbeg to be missed under any circumstances, but definitely a pleasant colleague! Unfortunately, I haven't had the 10 in my glass for too long for a direct comparison. Anyone who likes Ardbeg will surely like this bottling. He does not beat Uigedail and Corryvreckan. I also think the An Oa is a bit better. For 80€ you can't go wrong - perfectly acceptable drinking substance! On the secondary market, prices are currently well above €100. That's nonsense in my eyes. On the one hand, because it will be much more widely available in duty-free shops in the foreseeable future and, on the other hand, because it simply isn't worth it.

A light straw yellow in the glass. I would have expected something darker. But not that important. In the nose immediately typical Ardbeg smoke with the classic, vanilla, sweet note. Reminds me a lot(!!) of the Ten, maybe with a more subtle smoky note. Behind it is a fresh sea breeze with a nice herbal note. Subtle light fruit, citrusy. All very harmonious and smooth. If you were expecting something unusual here, you will be disappointed. And when I read about "dark fruits and intense sherry" in other notes here, I really ask myself what else these colleagues were sniffing before they poured the smoke trails into the glass. Absolutely zero dark fruit! Very creamy on the tongue, starts well at first. The cutie is here. Plus some vanilla. Everything remains very superficial, although really harmonious, I have to give him that. It also has no youthful note, metallic bitterness or whatever you like to call it. No not at all. A really tasty whisky. The American Oak did a good job here, delivering a very smooth whisky. But if you expect the intensity of the ten here, no, not there. In the finish it becomes a bit smokier again. A great, malty, sweet note lingers for a long time. I like that. Maybe the Manzanilla barrel shows up here now. Conclusion: You get exactly what you buy here: a whisky that flatters the palate, which is not designed for whisky extremists, but is intended to serve the mass market and "semi-professional" whisky connoisseurs with its liter bottle in travel retail. And he does it excellently. Edit: After several re-tastings and some time in the open bottle, I'll increase my points again. I like it better and better.

Aroma: Swelling smoky notes meet quince and citrus fruits, followed by creamy honey. Taste: Soft and sweet. Spicy oak and anise meet sweetened grapefruit and traces of smoke. Finish: Medium long and smoky. Cool mint, gentle citrus notes and sweet malt. Color: Pastel Gold (C4). The Ardbeg Smoketrails Manzanilla Edition is the first edition of the new "Smoketrails" series from the popular Islay distillery. What makes the Smoketrail so special is the marriage of two differently matured single malts. Part of the bottling rested in fresh, American white oak barrels, while another part matured in former Manzanilla barrels. This special vatting brings a fascinating interplay of gentle smoky notes, sweet light fruits and cooling menthol in the taste and aroma. The Manzanilla Edition is bottled uncolored and unfiltered at 46.0% vol in the large 1-liter bottle.

Unmistakably an Ardbeg. Slightly more sweet than the 10yo, the sherry content is subtle in the background and does not overpower the distillery character. If you like Ardbeg, you like the Smoketrails.

Smoke emerges from the very first drops, accompanying an earthy peat reminiscent of the distinctive Ardbeg Ten. The new American oak cask brings forth the typical vanilla notes intertwined with unique hints of Champagne yeast aromas. An honest whisky for aficionados of smoky peat.

Cheap and Good

Light, dark straw color. Quite oily structure.

A bottling design that's neither revolutionary nor bad, at a good price; nothing particularly interesting, but nothing particularly bad either. Price-performance ratio: Good, Medium-good. Would I buy it again?: Trying it was enough; it's only worth considering as a gift for entry-level users.

This Ardbeg is delicious. Sweetness and smoke complement each other very nicely here. The finish could be a bit stronger and longer. For ~£70 you can't go wrong (issue price), anything beyond that is just crazy (given the quality).