Serendipity - Ardbeg/Glen Moray

[Deactivated Member]

Has anyone tried Serendipity, the Ardbeg/Glen Moray vatted malt? I have just sent off for a couple of bottles and wonder whether to open them or whether they are better kept for posterity.

[Paul A Jellis]

Open them! It's what is was made for. . .

[Deactivated Member]

Normally I would agree - happy to open things that cost far more than this. I don't want to open them if they are really nasty, though.

[Spirit of Islay]

wonder whether to open them or whether they are better kept for posterity.

Why bother ordering them if your not going to drink them ?
Let someone else have them who'll appreciate them or are you hoping to make a few quid off them on e-bay ?

[Deactivated Member]

I bought them because I saw them and was intrigued - fully intending to drink them. Then I thought about it a bit more and remembered some of my other, unsuccessful, impulse purchases (normally I look at tasting notes before I buy). Examples of such include Old Comber - worth far more (in a sentimental, non-financial sense) as an ornament than as a drink in a glass or Loch Dhu whose value was (at the time) entirely alcoholic and certainly not flavour based.

I can honestly say I have never sold anything - whisky or otherwise - on ebay or anywhere else.

[Aidan]

Drink one and keep one. That's what I'm going to do. If it did go up in value, then you could use it to get a bottle you'd prefer to drink.

[Lawrence]

I received a little booklet today in the mail from Ardbeg explaining the Ardbeg /Glen Moray 'shotgun' marriage. I'm still a little skeptical to say the least but however if it taste good what the hell.

[Aidan]

Has anyone tasted this yet.

From what I've heard from one reviewer, it is superb...

[lucabeer]

IMHO it's very weak and watery, very un-Ardbegish. Quite unexciting.

A bit like dry white wine with some extra punch, and very little peat.

Not very complex, either.

[Aidan]

Watch out for reviews. It has been described as one of the most beautiful whiskys ever by JM.

[Admiral]

It has been described as one of the most beautiful whiskys ever by JM.

In which forum or media outlet? Where does Jim post his thoughts these days?

Cheers,
Admiral

[Mr Fjeld]

I can think of one blog he's likely not to post on..............

[robertk]

Mr Fjeld:

[Frodo]

IMHO it's very weak and watery, very un-Ardbegish. Quite unexciting.

A bit like dry white wine with some extra punch, and very little peat.

Not very complex, either.

Interesting! I thought it would be like regular Ardbeg just taken half a tone down. Have to admit I'm interested, and if the LCBO ever put it on sale, I'd buy some for sure...

Frodo

[Aidan]

Ok - I've tried this and think it is very nice. I'll have to get an Ardbeg to taste it beside.

Very drinkable and moreish. High marks.

[Deactivated Member]

For those of you who are UK-based, "Serendipity" will soon be on sale in Oddbins at £29.99.

I liked it, having had a dram at the Oddbins Wine Fair earlier this month. I'm not a huge "Ardbeg" fan, but the "Glen Moray" tamed it just enough for it to be very pleasant.

Supposedly, the "Ardbeg" was pretty old and destined for bottling as "Lord of the Isles". If memory serves me, the "Glen Moray" was a 1992 vintage.

[Frodo]

Ok - I've tried this and think it is very nice. I'll have to get an Ardbeg to taste it beside.

Very drinkable and moreish. High marks.

Hi Aidan:

I look forward to some more feedback after you've spent some more time with your new friend there. Or do you consider the Serendipity friend-worthy?

Frodo

[Aidan]

Frodo

I would have preferred if I hadn't heard anything about it before I tasted it. A little more malty than other Ardbegs, I'd say. I don't find it thin. For the price, it's deffinately worth it.

I've never tried Glen Moray. I'll have to check it out now...

[Mr Fjeld]

Hi Aidan!
Good thing that you liked it! I wonder though - is it very much like an Islay whisky in character? or could it be compared to a Bruichladdich?

Skål!
Christian

[Aidan]

Christian

It's not an Islay monster but it's much more peaty than Bruichladdich. It's kind of like some older Bowmores, which aren't as peaty.

I'll have some later and report again.

[bamber]

Just had a quick dram of this and think it is rather good. Less sweet than most Ardbegs and most of the Glen Moray character is lost - still a slight hint of currant, which is not something that one normally associates with Ardbeg.

However, I do know what lucabeer means by his description, it is thinner and drier than Ardbeg 10YO and I would honestly rate the 10YO above it .... BUT it is an Ardbeg, it is different and it is under £30 (just). I would sooner drink it than the Laphroaig Quarter Cask.

Score 88. Discalimer I love Ardbeg and am also quite keen on Glen Moray 12YO so this one could not really miss. It is available in Oddbins now

[Deactivated Member]

Discalimer I love Ardbeg and am also quite keen on Glen Moray 12YO so this one could not really miss.

I like Marmite and I like strawberry ice cream but I'm not sure I'd want them on the same spoon. I was disappointed to see Oddbins in Queensferry Street advertising it as "Ardbeg Serendipity".

As an aside, I took a bottle of Bowmore 17 to the final Gaidhlig class of the year last night, and it went down very well indeed...

[bamber]

Bowmore 17YO generally does

[Mr Fjeld]

As an aside, I took a bottle of Bowmore 17 to the final Gaidhlig class of the year last night, and it went down very well indeed...

Please excuse my ignorance but what is Gaidhlig?

Skål!
Christian

[Deactivated Member]

Gaidhlig is a language - many distilleries mangle it in order to promote their brands. Chief offender is Bruichladdich.

[Mr Fjeld]

I think I know what you are refering to!
Thanks for the answer!

Skål!
Christian

[Deactivated Member]

Most of us English-speakers spell that "Gaelic". I hope that's not mangling, Nick!

[Spirit of Islay]

while it is just a blend just like Auld Reekie or a Famous Grouse.

Ah ? Auld reekie isn't a blend !
Actually got to try the Serendipity last week , so it's not a great dram but's it's pleasant drinking better than a few "Single Malts" i've tried .

[Spirit of Islay]

Auld Reekie is also a "Supreme Blended Malt Whisky"

Not According to the bottle and DTC's site it's not

[Spirit of Islay]

I never said it was a single , you stated "it is just a blend just like Auld Reekie or a Famous Grouse. " , which (after you'd changed your statement ) you said the "Vatted" FG , but The Reekie isn't like the FG as the FG contains malts from several of the Highland distillers group , it doesn't state anything on the label or DTC site that it's Blended , vatted , chucked together in a bucket ! I do know when i was first given a try of it i was asked to guess which distillery it was (distillery , singular) and according to the guy , i got it right . So i take it , it's more or less IMO the same as a distillery bottling made up of a multitude of casks from a single distillery . I may be wrong but no doubt my friend from DTC will tell me....

[bernstein]

WM's 'Whiskies of the World' describes Auld Reekie as „Single Malt“. http://www.whiskymag.com/whisky/brand/a ... y2009.html

I found several sites refering to Caol Ila as the distillery in question.

[Deactivated Member]

"Serendipity" is, without doubt an mistakenly created vatted malt.

There is Glen Moray 12yo in the mix, along with some "old" Ardbeg. At the Oddbins Wine Fair, a lady from Glenmorangie told me that the Ardbeg was destined for "Lord of the Isles". However, I heard yesterday from another Glenmorangie source that it was Ardbeg 17yo

There's no comparison with the Cardhu affair. 99.9% of Oddbins shoppers would never make the link between a bottle of "Serendipity" and a boxed Ardbeg.

As to whether its worth £30, each must judge. At the moment, there are some pretty good single malts on offer for less - eg Aberlour a'Bunadh at Waitrose for £25!

[Deactivated Member]

99.9% of Oddbins shoppers would never make the link between a bottle of "Serendipity" and a boxed Ardbeg.

Actually, I think most Oddbins customers would know less about whisky than many people on this site, and I can imagine most would be taken in by the large cardboard label in the window display next to the bottle saying "Ardbeg Serendipity £x.xx". Ardbeg clearly promote this on their website as an affordable way to try (almost) very old, great Ardbeg. I do think it is misleading. I have never known Oddbins to knowingly mislead customers, so I suspect their confusion arises from the Ardbeg promotional material.

[Jeroen Kloppenburg]

There is Glen Moray 12yo in the mix, along with some "old" Ardbeg. At the Oddbins Wine Fair, a lady from Glenmorangie told me that the Ardbeg was destined for "Lord of the Isles". However, I heard yesterday from another Glenmorangie source that it was Ardbeg 17yo

They used quite old Ardbeg in the 17yr old. I dont know exact ages, but it part of it was 20-25 year-old in the 'old style' 17 year old.

[Spirit of Islay]

I have never known Oddbins to knowingly mislead customers, so I suspect their confusion arises from the Ardbeg promotional material.

I wouldn't be so sure about that !
Going back to when the first editions of the 10/15/20 Bruichladdichs came out , i'd just missed their release at the distillery (they'd actually got them on the friday , i found out in the Lochside bar on the friday night and was leaving on the Sat morning ferry ) so on finding out that Oddbins were the first to have them i went a great speed the following week to my local store , asked have you the New Laddie releases ? and got the reply "Oh yes" and then he produced the old bottlings !!!! After pointing out to the guy the error of his way (the not so subtle difference in colours of the tubes etc) he still tried to argue that they were the new releases ........Haven't used that store again !