Penny for Your Thoughts - Ardbeg Auriverdes, Lagavulin 12 Cask Strength (2016)
These two high-end drams at Shebeen's were our treat at the end of a pretty brutal travel day from Miami to Vancouver.
Lagavulin 12 Cask Strength (2016) (57.7% ABV) - The appearance, nose, and palate of this scotch are a bit surprising in that they revealed to me a close kinship between Ardbeg and Lagavulin's products that isn't as readily perceptible in Lagavulin 16, where age has transformed the spirit into something more distinctive. I loved this little insight into youthful Lagavulin's Ardbeggian indiscretions. The nose has a good deal of lemon or citrus on it to complement a heavy dose of smoke, like Ardbeg 10. There's also a buttery, Chardonnay echo, and the distinct aroma of toasted rice (Asians in particular will appreciate this scent, it's the smell of the rice at the bottom of a metal rice cooker that gets a little more burnt). Very lively and complex nose. The palate again for me is a dead ringer for Ardbeg, and if you'd told me it was a higher ABV bottling of 10 or a version with a few more years of aging, I'd buy it (the resemblance is akin to that between 43% Laphroaig 10 and 51.5% Laphroaig Cairdeas 2015, which was aged an extra 20-21 months). The finish is the star, as there's an explosion of dark chocolate and espresso, with some sweetness and cream. Imagine going to a restaurant and splitting a lemon tart and tiramisu. I also get how that smoky, slightly herbal flavor could taste like tea to some at the very end. It's also worth noting that Lagavulin 12 appears much more like an Ardbeg or Laphroaig in its light, hay-like color. It's interesting to compare this natural-colored cask strength Lagavulin with 16, which is diluted but then artificially colored to a much darker, honeyed tone. This bottle is expensive ($125 or so in the U.S.), but it falls into the worth-a-splurge category for me. A
Ardbeg Auriverdes (49.9%) - We got to try another $125+ bottle of whiskey, and unfortunately this one didn't quite live up to the price it commands. Auriverdes was Ardbeg's 2014 annual release, and its name (Yellow and Green) commemorated that year's World Cup in Brazil. When I saw it on the menu, I was quite excited since I hadn't seen it anywhere in the States for a while. After tasting it, I can tell you that it's interesting but not worth the premium over the regular lineup. The nose has a wine twist to complement some Ardbeg smoke, but it feels like a bit of a cooking wine -- a little more vinegar and tartness. Given the color and scent, a significant portion of this whiskey has been finished in some kind of wine cask (perhaps a port, moscato, or some other fortified wine rather than sherry). At times I also detect a milky note and some hay. The palate initially opens up sweet as well, with some orchard fruits, although the mid and back palate are dominated by a roar of nice, complex, charred Ardbeg smoke. The finish has a coffees and cream duo, as the smoke lingers, but there isn't a rush of flavors as I find in Dark Cove. I find the distillery's special editions are a little hit and miss, but always worth trying. At this price and given what's in the bottle, I would just opt for a bottle of 10 and a bottle of Uigeadail and have two whiskies I prefer to this one. B
