The Ardbeg 10 is the third Ardbeg reviewed here at Scotchology, and for good reason. This has been a standard from the distillery for a long, long time and for good reason. This entry is the base model for their regular offerings, which should not defer any interested in a good drink. Will this younger sibling be able to hold its head up around the Ardbog and Uigeadail?
Kilchoman (pronounced Kilhoman) is one of the newest and smallest distilleries in Scotland, opening its doors in 2005. It currently produces a 3 and 5 year single malt, though they plan to release 8 year (2014), 10 year (2016) and 12 year (2018) bottlings. By what we taste from the junior varsity so far, age should make a good thing even better for Kilchoman’s future issues. The offerings are bottled yearly, quantified by flavor profile and maturation. Future releases of the Machir Bay (and others) will be re-released in more mature versions.
One of Ardbeg’s annual Committee releases, the Ardbog was put out as a limited edition of 3000 bottles during the Islay Festival, celebrated by a worldwide Ardbog Day on June 1, 2013, before being sold more widely for a limited time. It’s name connotes the peat bogs scattered across Islay. The Ardbeg Ardbog is and remains to this day, for some of us here at Scotchology, a quintessential unicorn dram.