Ardbeg Rehoboam 450cl / 4.5ltr
Exceptional balance and depth. At full strength, the aroma is a seductive mix of toffee and chocolate sweetness, cinnamon spice and medicinal phenols. Fresh citrus and floral notes of white wine are evident as are melon, pear drops, general creaminess, fresh phenolic aroma of seaspray (iodine) and smoked fish. Hickory and coffee emerge later as the most volatile top notes fade.
An initial moderate and clean sweetness is rapidly followed by a mouthful of deep peat notes, with tobacco smoke and strong espresso coffee, which then gives way to treacle sweetness and liquorice. The mouthfeel is firstly lightly spiced (astringent), then chewing, mouthwatering, full and finally dry.
The finish is long and smoky. A smoky sweetness is left on the palate, with a crushed peat and sweet malted cereal character.
ABV: 46%
Background Information:
Established in 1815, Ardbeg is the "Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky", revered by connoisseurs around the world as the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts widely available.
It boasts a true complexity, balancing smoky peatiness and intriguing sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as "the peaty paradox".
Ardbeg has made it a double by winning ‘World Whisky of the Year 2009’, following the triumph of Ardberg 10 Year Old of the same accolade in 2008. Awarded by Jim Murray in his latest edition of the Whisky Bible, Ardbeg is the first Single Malt whisky ever to have won this prestigious accolade, now twice.
