Ardbeg Scorch

Ardbeg trio: 2023.03.10. Ardbeg Scorch https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/182094/ardbeg-scorch 87- Ardbeg Uigeadail (2005) https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/63187/ardbeg-uigeadail 88+ Ardbeg 23yo Twenty Something https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/102567/ardbeg-twenty-something 90+

As a big ardbeg fan, this is actually a slight disappointment.

Bright, powerful and tasty Ardbeg, aged in sherry. Smoke, sea theme, smoked meats and dried fruits - everything we love.

The Scorch is also convincing at drinking strength all along the line. Delightful peat smoke aromas mingle with citrus notes and a creamy, oily sweetness to create a pleasant taste experience. The Ardbeg Day 2021 can come! I thank Moët Hennessy Germany for the complimentary sample! https://www.whisky-connaisseur.de/2021/05/31/ardbeg-scorch-general-release-2021/

Sweet and smoky, quite drinkable, but liquid and the finish weakens. He can't keep up with Corrie and Guess

rather closed on the nose but on the palate and in the finish the aromas are more varied, although unfortunately a bit too short in the finish.

The dragon made a good impression. In some cases, however, not much grows there. Rather one to smell, not to drink. For the full review, go here: https://halbendrinks.de/2022/02/06/ardbeg-feis-ile/

Tried a dram in a local whisky bar. (Which I have to say is a good way to sample some of these outrageously priced limited edition Ardbegs) Overall a tasty whisky with typical peat notes that lacks some depth to push it into that "excellent" column.

Sweet, complex, oily Ardbeg

Wow, this different than I expected. The 'dragon char' actually resulted in a relatively mild , sweet and fruity Ardbeg. I especially liked the somewhat odd but gorgeous nose!

We are going deep into Whisky Lake 2.0 today, maybe all the way to the bottom in more than one way, so I best put on my atmospheric diving suit. The exact depth is 15 Ardbeg limited releases in one go, with a current 10yo (83 pts.) as the benchmark. Yes, I have written my last will and testament. The lineup from the newest to the oldest bottling is: Smokiverse (81), Spectacular (82), Heavy Vapours (77), Ardcore (76), Scorch (83), Blaaaack (81), Drum (79), Grooves (80), Kelpie (83), Dark Cove (84), Perpetuum (80), Auriverdes (83), Ardbog (87), Galileo (85), Alligator (88). Compared to my previous scores for the bottles I've already tasted, only Auriverdes felt a bit better this time than the first time I tried it many, many years ago. Unsurprisingly, both myself and the tasting panel voted Alligator, Ardbog, and Galileo as the best three. For me the bottom of the barrel was Ardcore with its offensive blandness and youth, but the whole tasting panel voted it the 2nd worst in the lineup, disliking Heavy Vapours even more. Thanks for the tasting, Maija & Pete! Scorch with its pleasant caramel notes on top of the expected Ardbeg tastes is the best of the last 8 Limited Editions, but it's like a watered down version of Alligator, further underlining how much more punch Ardbog and Alligator pack overall.

A good Ardbeg overall but I stick to core range:) I consider these are experiments. This is definitely not a 86 or 87 for me.

Tasted on 09-07-2021.

On the first nose, vanilla and marshmallow, molasses, then the smoke is felt, charcoal, sooty, but also very subtle. Then iodine and peat come into play. It's very balanced, almost sweet, surprising from this distillery. It's very fresh, a little aniseed. Then it's this sticky marshmallow that comes back, it's very greedy, we lick our fingers. Vanilla cream, pistachio, chocolate shavings. Behind, you can smell the burnt wood, the day after a forest fire. Palate a little light, lemony, but unctuous, creamy, and quickly spicy, pepper and cumin, cloves, nutmeg, fine ashes. Bitter ginger, asparagus. Coarse salt. Peat passed through a flamethrower. Very long finish, lignite, we break our teeth on a piece of coal, sparkling water, cola, nuts, hazelnuts, cashews. It feels like a little electricity on the tongue, like when you lick the two poles of a battery. Slight bitterness. Yes, this limited edition is definitely the best since the Dark Cove. There is a nice balance between the very greedy side, and this charred shadow that we feel in the background. https://ilikesky2020.blogspot.com/2021/11/ardbeg-scorch.html

In my books, this clearly has been the best Ardbeg Day release for quite a number of years. Clear-cut distillery character, strong sweetness from the casks. Some ways it reminds me of when I first tried Ardbeg (ten). Tasted it h2h against the Alligator which knocks this one out cold, though... All-in-all this is a very enjoyable dram imo despite its lack of complexity

Yes, he has ash and smoke. It's also an Ardbeg. In contrast to many opinions here, I do not feel these aromas to be above average for this distillery. I find the fruity sweetness unusual, but very pleasant. Already on the nose, the classic citrus and less typical peach aromas form a nice contrast to the smoke. It becomes even sweeter in the mouth, the nose is even more flowery with the palate full of aromas. Then a bit of dryness and more "Islay" at the back. A bit of raspberry pepper. Really successful.

Subcompatibility in the Committee version

I love this stuff. Packs an amazing whallop, filled to the brim with flavor and an epic amount of smokey charred goodness. This is not something to open up a tasting session with, this is to blow your palate away. It's a three-piece course. The opening is soft and slow, the taste challenges you and the finish leaves you at a loss for words.

Good to drink, alcohol is well integrated. The peat goes in the direction of coal. Must like. 71-80 – Fine, like to drink by time

S 7.5 It’s hard to choose which one I prefer more, this does provide a unique profile that’s rarely experienced from other Scotch. But the dilution has subdued the texture and power, something “Ardbeg” is missing as compared to the 51.7% committee release. Nonetheless, one of the better Ardbeg “Limited Release” in recent years that actually delivers something different, especially on the nose. 81-85 - Nice, I'll drink more of this

Takeaway: Right off the bat, the nose catches my attention. Unfortunately, Scorch's palate falls short of the nose, IMO. The finish is mediocre and lacks depth. Nose: Some classic Ardbeg notes here, including the typical peat, along with a charcoal note reminiscent of oceanic driftwood embers (there's the toasted oak!), vanilla pod, all spice, teak wood, some industrial notes that border on paint solvents, black pepper, caramel nougat with peanut and marshmallow, tumeric, overly fried rice (to the point of being burned), saffron. Palate: The low ABV runs slightly hot for only 46% but not overly hot. Just not as creamy as some Ardbeg special limited releases, such as Dark Cove. No, it is not the smoke in this dram "fooling me." As we shall see, the smoke really isn't that strong compared with past releases or other peaty Islay drams. I'm getting a tantalizing note that reminds me of old Ten's from the early 2000's which are vastly superior to today's Ardbeg (yes, even the single cask releases). But then, the note is dashed with what seems like refill wood that is exhausted (100 percent American oak ex bourbon barrels doesn't mean there aren't any refills). Tannins from some fresh ex bourbon casks are also noticeable, along with a Honduran whole leaf cigar wrapper (very nice tasting indeed). This said, both kinds of wood (fresh American ex bourbon and older refill American ex bourbon) don't seem to mix very well: a case of "old age having a go at the young" to quote A Clockwork Orange. Now I'm getting a musty muslin coastal curtains from a cigar smoker's house (my grandfather's). Notes of cacao and coffee grounds. Dried lemon skin. As one continues to sip, the whisky seems more and more lifeless and flat. I feel as though I've been relegated to the Edwin Abbott novel called Flatland in which characters interact in 2-D. Finish: Cigarette ash, tired wood fighting fresh wood, Ardbeg peat (no the distillery does not smoke its own peat), vanilla bean ice cream, and a well-used cedar sauna at the height of steam. The finish is barely medium in length (medium short). The tongue is left with a bitterness and a lack of satisfaction befitting a mediocre release from Ardbeg. One's brain slowly ceases to crave more as the law of diminishing returns overpowers truckloads of hype from Ardbeg's corporate advertising blitz involving dragons, . COMPARISON OF SCORCH TO OTHER SPECIAL RELEASES Scorch isn't really as peaty as it claims to be. Alligator was far far more peaty, for example. And the ppm of Ardbeg isn't that high compared with some other Islays (which overdo it sometimes, IMO, such as some of the Octomores). That's not to say that more peat is "more better." It's not necessarily but considering the promotional hype, this release isn't really very smokey or dragon-like. I much prefer Alligator to this whisky. In fact, I much prefer Day, Ardbog, Dark Cove, both Beists, and nearly all of the pre-2006 Tens. I also prefer the earlier Ugeadails to this. The 46% is lame (not even a couple tenths of a point higher than the Ten?). I've seen Dr. Bill speak in person. He's quite a performer. Here he is in a wizard's cape hamming it up with a lovely flaxen-haired lass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xL43BvRt2k I really enjoyed Bill's lecture in person a few year's back; however, as he'd mentioned how the pre-French-owned Ardbeg distillery had shoelaces tied to the light switches, I couldn't help thinking how much better those old skool Scottish men were as whisky makers than the new high tech Ardbeg. Yea, verily . . . ye olde barley was simply better, and it can't be found these days. So there's no way to duplicate that, but some distilleries have gotten even better than the older releases. For instance, Bruichladdich releases (overall) tasted better in 2015 to me than in 2005. Dr. Bill's handiwork in terms of promotion outpaces the actual product. I miss the old Ardbeg that didn't need fancy concepts to sell the whisky. It was just so damned good. And it's not any longer. Not like the old days. Scorch is a case in point for my nostalia for the past. It just doesn't measure up even to what was coming out of Ardbeg ten years ago. Because ten years ago, it was the Alligator and ten years ago, I was nearly passing out from sheer joy as I stocked up on bottles of that. If I had only known how far Ardbeg and the rest of the industry could fall, then I would have stocked up far more than I did. Because my stash of Alligator is all gone now. Aside from a few samples in little jars that I've kept like some sort of eldritch witch doctor in my pantry. p.s. One more thing: I think age is a factor here. Alligator tasted older. This one tastes about like the ten (age wise, not in terms of smoke which is more than the ten obviously), with a very few slightly older and quite a few younger barrels thrown in. The younger ones don't really compliment the older ones. In the early 2000's Tens, for instance, the younger 10 year old casks really went well with the older casks that were thrown in as a "gratis." Gawd, those early tens were good! And they were good because expert blenders mixed old with young so well. In this case, there really isn't much "old" to speak of, nothing much over ten years that I can taste, and plenty younger than that. Still, this release isn't as bad as some of the recent Day releases. IMO, Smaug er I mean Scorch is better than Auriverdes, Perpetuum, Kelpie, Grooves, and Drum. HERE IS MY SCORE: 86.5

Just not my cup of tea. Nothing I like in Ardbeg is represented in the flavour. The chemical flower/violet taste ruins it completly. The name Scorch made me expect a fierce and brutal dram but it's everything but that :(

The nose starts off sweet, creamy and grassy with green banana peel, some dust and a strong portion of Ardbeg smoke. After a while, a note of cinnamon will develop. Much less citrus notes compared to the 10. Strong and full in the mouth without being alcoholic. In the finish, he first pushes a flood of ash in front of him, as is typical of Ardbeg, which is accompanied by dark chocolate and maritime notes. Length: 6/10 Overall great, more intense but still round Ardbeg. Note 1-

Once again, I have an alligator in the glass, which could indicate that the scorch came from the latter of the gutted alligator bottling barrels. It was tasty but against alligator only to warm it up.

Value is the only thing holding this back. As with many of these committee releases, it's overpriced and underwhelming. If this were 30% cheaper I'd be all over it. N: Vanilla, cream, buttered biscuits, true to form ex bourbon Islay. Can't say the heavier char is coming through, but there is a spicier note that might indicate that. T: Medium mouthfeel. Wish it was longer. Smoke turns to spicy barrel char so it's coming through there. F: Sticks around, but not as much. Spicy. Smoke, ex bourbon clearly, which is great. This is a tasty release from Ardbeg. Wish it didn't cost what it did for the proof point.

Very good whisky in the Ardbeg lineage. Well-pronounced peat

Very nice on the nose, on the palate and in the finish, he runs out of breath too quickly. It's a shame, because what it delivered in the nose was very promising, even if it doesn't smell or taste like a classic Ardbeg.

Take a look at the rating of didi1893, it fits very well! Once again a good Ardbeg as a special release with its own, unmistakable note: a coal-like ash. It's like a coal mine, where there is plenty of coal in the air. Well-oiled machines are also used there, which also give off steel aromas. On the other hand, the whisky is very sweet, which I don't always find at Ardbeg. Interesting and tasty. My rating is sometimes so high because I love Ardbeg (favorite distillery on Islay and No. 2 in general).

This version is nice for daily, looking forward to the white label version

A thoroughly successful limited bottling by Ardbeg. Especially on the nose, in addition to the distinctive wood smoke, it has very nice fruity notes. The lemon note that has been typical for me to date is not present. In the taste, the smoke and the ash then take over all the more strongly and it becomes tart and spicy. Delicious. The 46% alcohol content suits him well. He is very drinkable, dangerously drinkable.

A very typical modern Ardbeg, robust and smoky, clearly influenced by the heavily charred casks. Not a particularly complex Ardbeg, but full of character and pleasant to drink.

There are 2 versions of this bottling. Bottles for French market are delivered in a paper bag, the rest of countries come with the traditional box.

No, No, No, hardly recognizable as an Ardbeg. This is so thin, theres nothing here i can relate to Ardbeg. WTF are they made to do at the distillery...

The color is golden. The nose is sweet, with delicate peat, some charcoal and soot, and vanilla sweetness, citrus, herbaceous notes, very little anise. The taste is smoky-peaty, but at the same time quite sweet, oily, slightly spicy, which combines grilled meat, citrus fruits and licorice. The aftertaste is long-lasting, slightly spicy, at the same time delicately peaty, with vanilla sweetness, herbs, citrus fruits, toffee, creaminess, a small charcoal and light resinousness. Well, once again Ardbeg pleasantly surprised by presenting the original whisky. It is not often that you find a successful combination of a heavily peaty whisky aged in first-fill bourbon casks that add vanilla sweetness and creaminess to this smoke. It turned out very well here. Lightened in its essence, peat-fruit-citrus alcohol Ardbeg was successfully combined with barrels of the first filling, giving out an interesting set of flavoring and aromatic nuances. The whisky turned out to be well balanced, quite soft and delicate in taste, while retaining all the smoky-peaty moments.

n: smoke, peat, pleasant, ash, bonfire, earthy, steel, herbal, fruity, beetroot, charred wood, caramel, biscuits, licorice t: typical ardbeg 10yo + bonfire, smoke, sweet, tarr a: tarr, smoke, ash, bonfire, licorice, bitter

is a gold colored whisky from the Islay region of Scotland. The whisky has matured in ex-bourbon American oak barrels.

Pleasant whisky with especially in the nose a very sweet character. More smoky character in taste.

5.9.2023 Tiffany’s InterContinental Stanford Powerful peaty smoke scorching the senses. Herb root, smoky, caramel and vanilla.

Wonderful whisky! Lives and changes, no new make or young breadiness, and that's worth a lot! By modern standards, this is a very good limited edition from Ardbeg! 22 21 22 21

Leather, with a hint of orange peel flavor.

A round, slightly sweet taste, untypical for Ardbeg. Has addictive potential :-)

A really interesting and special Ardbeg! Compared to Uigeadail and Corryvreckan, it is much milder and smokier, of course a few percent alcohol is missing, although the unusually sweet and intense smoky note compensates for this. Thanks to the extremely burned out barrels and the resulting smoke, soot and ash notes, the scorch goes strongly in the direction of the notorious alligator, although in my opinion it cannot quite hold a candle to the alligator. Thanks to its harmonious and mild nature, the Schorch immediately tempts you to take another sip or glass, which makes it damn dangerous ...

I like it better every time

According to interview with Dr. Bill Lumsden on 'one nation under whisky' podcast the scorch was matured on the same casks used for the Ardbeg Alligator (refill of course). Since the Alligator was released on 2011 one can deduct as well that the scorch is 9-10 YO. Reference can be found in https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-wwwpu-105233e starting on the 55th minute.

(TASTED BLIND) NOSE: Sweet peat smoke, in a "yellow direction"; butter and yellow fruits. Orange, lemon rind, qumqat, wet sea soaked wood, some tar and creosote, cut grass, green herbs, rosewater, rubber. Oily. (88p). TASTE: The arrival is sweet and very salty. On the mid palate more sweetness and saltiness. Very saline. Quite smoky (it's a dry wood smoke). Unsmoked/unburnt raw peat and twigs. Iodine. (88p). FINISH: Salt, iodine, smoke, black pepper. (86p). OVERALL: Total score 87 points.

nose: oily peat, gripping, lemony sour and sweet candies, cooked blocked: it's sweet, almost too reduced, very watery, but it doesn't scare the taste buds sweet, on cooked and candied fruits coming out of a bowl of jam the peat is not raised, a little tar but with morning dew which rounds off the angles, I would like to know the age account because it passes much more easily than the 5 year old from them; the fruits on the citrus fruits at first glance, the mandarin and a return of iodized smoke final: slightly spicy, peppery, peaty, also ashy, pressed and cooked citrus fruits, fairly long, monolithic finish. woody and malty finally.

Another rather pointless Ardbeg. Take me back to a 1975!

1608) Ardbeg, Scorch, The Ultimate, Limited Edition, Fiercely Charred Cask, Fèis Ìle 2021 Plenty of hypes and story with catchy names, hopes this comes with desired quality than just another blah-blah.

A very good whisky but the Committee Edition is a lot better due to the higher alcohol content and you can taste more aromas.

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Had it blind and was pleasantly surprised. Smoke and ash, with a very subtle touch of lemongrass. Also neat in the finish, blindly gave him more than 10 years.

The aroma - roasted apricots, compote peaches, fruity notes and juicy spices flatter the nose. But after the first sip, the tones of burnt wood, forest smoke, resin and pine needles, menthol, hints of sour citrus fruits come out and all this is shrouded in fly ash. Taste - first of all, there is a creaminess and oiliness, which the next moment transforms into soot, ash, warm smoke, burnt wood and a noticeable pinch of pepper. The second sip is dirtier, metallic notes, charcoal, burnt wood appear. But there is also a cozy, warm wood smoke that falls through the palate and into the throat. There is an aftertaste that feels like it will never go away, an aftertaste of roasted nuts with slightly resinous pine needles sticking to the tongue.

Once again an overpriced, overrated hype bottling. At least better than the last 2 bottles.

Usual Ardbeg smoky peat, underlying citrus, a little mint & menthol, and a little dark chocolate. But wow. This one has even more campfire smoke and ash than other Ardbegs. Fresh dried chillies. Someone suggested hickory and I can agree with that. Taste - fresh smoke and ash, a little woody sweetness emerges as it sets. Adding a few drops of water brings out some cool mint and menthol notes and kills the smoke.

with water: he can take some water, but I don't notice much change. I'd rather leave the water out Conclusion: Oh yes, that is a very ashy-smoky Ardbeg, the nose is interesting and knows how to please, plus that somewhat strange sage note. A little too weak in the mouth as well as the finish

The light version of the Commettee Scorch! Much better than the last Ardbeg-Day bottlings!

when the soot is confronted with the peat and the liquorice, some vegetal notes but the impression is good to chew, to breathe and to taste "peated".

You can drink the Ardbeg Scorch well, but nothing more. I loved the alligator and was hoping for something similar with the scorch with the burnt out barrels. Unfortunately, he didn't leave a lasting impression. Ardbeg has produced better ones.

Blind Tasting

It would be awesome if the middle section was a little better. Very nice on the nose, smoke and wood. Watery in the mouth. The finish is smoky and long, tickling the tongue.

Difficulty not loving this if you’re cult Ardbeg fan. However my question is does the premium price warrant paying more for it? I have my doubts. Having said that a damn good dram with loads of Ardbeg character.

Very burnt out, ashy, sooty, dirty, smoky. The absolute nightmare for those who like it more flowery. Wonderful! To be honest, apart from the rustic and red-fruity side, it is kept rather simple in terms of the breadth of the range of flavors.

Totally tasty, very mild and sweet, could have a few percent more, but that's what the Committee version is for

Nose 89 Taste 88 Finish 88 It's impossible not to love this whisky. Indeed, it may not have the captivating quality of the best versions of the Ten. But it gives off a freshness with a very pure, saline smoke. It's deep and it tells a story. It doesn't come out of nowhere. He is from Islay. He is mostly from Ardbeg. Freshness, lightness and smoke. Well done again.

Pretty good one, missing some edge, maybe little bit too polished for me but notes are pretty nice if you can go pass smoke. Alcohol is really well integrated

Youtube Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJH-dpth9Fw

Very sharp nose at 46%. Some herbs in the background and sourness. On the palate very watery, not complex at all, only charr and peat. Finish very short.

I liked this just fine