Why did I buy this again?
Sure, I’m a fan of Ardbeg, but I’m also not made of money. Granted purchasing Ardbeg 5 Wee Beastie is the easiest way to purchase Ardbeg, what with being 5 years old. So it’s not the money. Not to mention I split a bottle 5 ways.
Also it’s aged in a mix of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks. The review before this one was about how much I enjoy peat and sherry.
It’s certainly not age: I’m more likely to enjoy a good young whisky than an okay old whisky. That’s my bias.
While I’d love to stick to 70s Ardbeg, I’m not made of double money or whatever super amount of money one needs to buy any of that left. Not to mention I’ve been enjoying Ardbeg spirit from the aughts so far.
Is it because it’s an original bottling? Probably not, as I adore Ardbeg 10, Curvy, and Uigendail. I really am a whore for them.
So maybe it was curiosity: I’m always willing to try new things out. Not to mention I should be the prime market for this Scotch.
So let’s stop judging a book by it’s cover and see how this tastes, shall we?
Price: €35
Region: Islay
Cask types used: Ex-Bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks
Abv: 47.4%
Colour: 2.5Y 8/6
Nose: Pear, peat, lemon, hay, peanut
Very faint. We’re talking faint like the connection between how Ziploc and Eternals are advertising together. And I say that as someone who liked the movie and uses the bags.
It’s really weak. You get a faint, young peated dram with no real sherry aspects other than a bit of lemon.
Taste: Salted peanuts, peat, butter
It’s a bit nutty, peaty, and buttery. That’s about it. Time doesn’t give much else, water doesn’t give much else. Commendable to have the salty peanuts part. The rest is young peated meh.
Finish: Anise, peat, gravel, grass
Simple. The peat and grass aspects take most of the flavour here. It’s not doing anything too out there.
Conclusion: Do you need a replacement for Bowmore 12? Because this is that. Or you could save money and buy better whisky.
It’s lightly peated. If you’re looking for inexpensive peated whisky and don’t need much else than do that. I found Bowmore 12 to be a bit more to it but just barely, so I’m scoring them the same.
I could end there. This slightly nutty, only peat dram doesn’t really need much more description: However I’ll take a second to go into something I’ve been thinking about.
You’re not really supposed to drink a lot of alcohol. Yes, I’m your mother now. So you may as well drink good things. That doesn’t mean the most expensive: The same amount of money for two bottles of Ardbeg 5 Wee Beastie could buy you a number of peated whiskies that are better and worth your liver. You’ll drink less and be happier. You deserve better, and this is tepid.
67/100
Scotch review #1458, Islay review #389, Whisky Network review #2153
tomoderawhisky.ca 