Ardbeg Kelpie was one of the expressions from the distillery which I liked sincerely and bought another bottle as soon as possible. Rich in texture with interesting and rare aromas thanks to the oak used.
While I appreciate how truly unique this whisky has turned out — and figure that different palates may find some of the more unusual flavors enchanting — the Russian oak has really done a number on the underlying malt, rendering it simply a bit too strange for me.
This was nice but weirdly light - even with the elevated proof. The astringency on the finish wasn't really impressive, but the rest of the dram was solid.
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House Review
Nose:
Floral and sweet. Lots of vanilla, confectioners sugar and faint peat pairing with oceanic salinity.
Taste:
Lime and honey. Really light and floral - much more brine on the palate than the nose. Ashy telephone pole peat rolls in at the tail end.
Finish:
Medium length, faintly lactic milk, some astringency followed by a floral finish.
Overall:
This was nice but weirdly light - even with the elevated proof. The astringency on the finish wasn't really impressive, but the rest of the dram was solid.
Score:
80
By t8ke
Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources
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