Although not by much, but I prefer this over the Committee Release. There's more room for subtleties here, which is a plus
Nose
Some sweet fruits like tinned pineapple, stewed apples and peaches. Soft bonfire smoke with a slight edge of chili peppers. There's some iodine and rubber, with seaweed too, but the sweetness is the prevailing characteristic here.
Taste
A bit more polished and less big and bold than I remember the Committee Release being. Very salty, and peanuts too. So really I should say: salted peanuts :) But the sweetness from the nose is noticeable here too. It's brine-y and malty, with a nice peatiness and a hint of dark chocolate and black pepper. Lot less spicy than the Committee Release.
Finish
Peat, rubber and pepper. Finally a hint of chocolate. Medium to long.
BOW (86)
Tasting Note by The Producer
Nose: A wonderful, intense, ‘dancing’ nose, with lots of different, intertwined aromas – powerful, oily peat, dark chocolate, smoked fish, hints of seaweed, and a curious, sharp herbal note. Waves of spicy black pepper.
Palate: A peppery mouthfeel is followed by a crescendo of rich flavours. Treacle toffee, Turkish coffee, smoky bacon and lots of dark, dark chocolate. A curious burst of peachy, estery fruit, hickory wood, clove oil and a suggestion of black olives.
Finish: Seemingly lasting forever, with deep, deep, almost subterranean flavours of clove, tar, and rich toffee.
The virgin Black Sea oak casks from the Adyghe Republic in Russia were used for maturation of Ardbeg Kelpie. And this whisky from has then been married with regular bourbon cask matured Ardbeg and bottled for Fèis Ìle 2017 at 46%.
