A famously good bottling from the 1970s from Ardbeg despite not being single cask, being bottled at 46% instead of the usual 40 or 43% definitely helps. This is one of those bottles that is a must-have for anyone who is a fan of smoky whisky
Nose
Salty, briny, seawater, while also meaty, BBQ slow roasted pork ribs, the nose is definitely and probably peak Ardbeg (atleast for me). The smokiness is not all over your face kind of smoke but rather gentle and elegant and quite delicate. Gets a bit creamy and zesty, a bit of pepper towards the end
Body
Bacons, burnt ends, salted caramel, honey, salty, seawater, iodine, coal, truckload of smoke towards the end. The body is increadibly thick for a 46% whisky, definitely feels like 50%+. Citrusy, oysters, tar, oily, just an amazing body to be honest
Finish
Medium, dry, a bit oily finish, salty, charred woods, slightly bitter towards the very end