Ardbeg Wee Bestie – 47.4% abv

Info: Ardbeg’s latest permanent expression. Five year old matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks.
Colour: Ripe straw golden.
Nose: Barley, toffee and mossy wet peat. Hints of beach fire embers.
Palate: Oily mossy damp sweet peat, grassy barley, hints of creamy toffee. The sweetness shows the distillery character well; the younger age meaning there’s still plenty of sweet new make distillery spirit left undominated by wood.
Finish: Hints of tannin right at the end, along with those lasting barley and peat notes. Long finish, but didn’t overly warm my chest.
Time: With some time hints of coffee grouts and bacon show their head.
Thoughts: The youth here works well for this whisky, it allows the distillery character to shine along with loads of mossy peat which I love. You really wouldn’t know this is 47.4%, it adds to the oily mouth feel, but it’s ever so easy to drink! Good autumnal drammage! Thanks to my friend Nick for the sample.
Available: Master of Malt, Whisky Exchange, etc. Even Amazon (£34.95).