Connoisseur's Choice Ardbeg 1990

Tasted in Whisky Magazine Issue 22 by Michael Jackson and Dave Broom.

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Tasting Notes

Michael Jackson Nose Expressive. Fresh smoke and, again, the aromas of the seashore. Tar, caulked ropes, weatherbeaten wooden boats on a pebbled beach. Palate Oily, smooth, creamy. Clean, fresh, maltiness. Rounded with a touch of sherry? Finish Light leafy spiciness. Long and warming. Comment The palate seemed almost disappointingly cosy, but the wildness of Islay was recalled in the finish.

Dave Broom Nose Intense and smoky: tar, bitumen, beach bonfires, drying seaweed. Mouth watering. A lean and dry young pup. Palate Bone-dry to start, the smoke parches the throat, saved by a light tickle of fruit. Finish Tarry and intense with glimmer of seaweed. Comment All of Ardbeg and some more. Uncompromising.