Ardbeg BlaaacK Committee 20th Anniversary 2020 - 70cl

Maturation: ex-pinot noir casks from New Zealand
Location: Port Ellen
Nose: Sweetness, meaty smoke, peat, honey, lemon oil, red fruit
Palate: Charred meat, tobacco, leather, vanilla, sour cherry, peat
Finish: Charcoal, smoke, black tea
Comments: Water is not needed. While it can take a little of the front edge off the nose, it strengthens the taste of black tea and mutes many of the other flavors.

For those familiar with the distillery, the Ardbeg Blaaack offers something both familiar and refreshing. The nose begins with sea spray but quickly transitions to the lemony tang so often buried in Ardbeg. If you are persistent enough, some of that delightful meat smoke dances with a little honeyed sweetness, almost reminiscent of the Wee Beastie in that regard. The peat in the nose is very subtle but comes out eventually, distinct from the smoke. The palate is a little bit of a surprise, with tobacco and leather riding the core before finishing with smoky char that doesn’t thankfully overwhelm the senses, leaving an earthy peat reminiscent of black tea. I love the nose on this one but find the leather and char a little too omnipresent for my preference, making me wish some of the elements from the nose would reappear on the palate. It’s hard to tell the cask influence because the base spirit is so dominant. Still, these are minor complaints and this remains a unique Ardbeg.