It should be no secret to those who follow us at Scotchology that many of us are big Ardbeg fans, and have been since the beginning. We’ve explored nearly every main range offering, from the 10 year to the Uigeadail, along with several of their more limited offerings. The Ardbeg Corryvreckan is named after the famous whirlpool situated north of Islay, which legend says Viking prince Breacan entered as an act of bravery to prove his love for a princess. Legend says he’s now at the bottom of that whirlpool, so we leave it to you to determine his worthiness. In the meantime, this scotch requires you to prove nothing but a willingness to pour and sip.
Distillery: Ardbeg
Region: Islay
Age: NAS
Strength: 57.1%
Price: $99.99
Location: Port Ellen
Nose: Brine, peat, cumin, vanilla, coriander, mint, juniper
Palate: Black pepper, cayenne, bacon smoke, mint
Finish: Peat, brine, smoke
Comments: Water can be nice if you’re not prepared for the higher alcohol content or strength of flavor, but entirely unneeded if you know what you’re getting into. Letting this one sit for a time in the glass can also open up a fuller sense of the flavors.
Adam – The Corryvreckan is, ultimately, what the Ardbeg 10 promises. The breadth of Ardbeg’s core flavors is not necessarily wide, yet when they’re done well they can offer a complexity and invitation of their own. This dram is distilled essence: peat, smoke, brine, the quintessential Islay flavor components. Partly due to good blending and partly due to a higher alcohol concentration that serves to brighten these flavors to the fore of your palate. As with many higher strength whiskies, adding some water can actually bring out the burn until you find the right combo. It can also release more flavors, but does require a little patience to get the right ratio. I’m usually content to drink it as it came from the bottle. As nature intended.
Jenny – A lot of peat on the nose, as well as the palate along with the smoke, building on the tongue. The mouthfeel is pretty oily, And it’s wonderful! Not for faint-hearted!
Meghan – The first time I tasted this (years ago) I wasn’t much of a fan. However, my whisky palate has evolved since then, allowing me to enjoy a higher ABV as well as savor peaty flavors more than when I first started. I now find the Corryvreckan quite delicious. It’s a very savory whisky with lots of dark and dustier spice flavors both on the nose and on the palate. There is also a wonderful briny character throughout, which is an aspect that I really enjoy these days. Some briny whiskies have you sitting on a beach but the Corryvreckan is more like being on a cliff above the sea, with a strong breeze bringing the sea spray up to you while waves crash against the rocks. The flavors are bold. It is not a whisky that requires quiet contemplation but more smacks you into silenced awe at it’s delicious glory.
This is the whisky whisky would drink.
Peter – Spicy, it’s strong, it’s bold. It clears away and you have the smoke. This is the whisky whisky would drink.
Mary-Fred – When I taste it, the smoke is lovely. It’s not overpowering and it has a lovely bloom on the tongue, in the mouth.
Caitlin – This gives me the sense of a pirate ship, with all the sea breezes and spices and exotic senses.
Ben – This is the smell of a grandfather’s jacket that he smokes a pipe in. The smoke seems to compliment the tobacco sense. It is very well rounded. The taste answers the question the nose asks.
