Ardbeg 2009 Sansibar 15 yo

 

 

 

52,8°

Distillery : Ardbeg - Islay 

Sherry Butt 

Independent Bottling 

By Sansibar

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 54 ppm 

Sansibar is an independent German bottler founded in 2005 by Jens Drewitz. They are one of the pioneers of whisky distribution in Germany, before Best Dram, Whisky Druid or Brühler Whiskyhaus. Today they are releasing a series of white-labelled bottlings in honour of the DeinWhisky.de website, available only there. These include this Ardbeg, aged for 15 years and matured in a Sherry Butt. Unfortunately, there is no indication of the number of bottles.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A small uppercut of Ardbegian peat, thick and powerful smoke, white ash, sandstone and chalk. Lime pulp in the background, and an ounce of icing sugar, a dash of vanilla, evanescent iodine, cotton wools, slices of unripe pineapple, soya milk. Then the fruit really takes off, mirabelle plums, reines claudes and banana, but still that kick of peat and alcohol at times, at others lychees, crème fraîche, apple doughnut. The palate is really pure and delicious, plums sprinkled with lemon, but the spices, white pepper and ginger, make themselves felt. The finish is long and very controlled, with citrus syrup, vanilla coulis, liquid honey and rare herbaceous notes.

 

In Short, 

A superb Ardbeg, lacking only a little power and length to be exceptional. Fans should not hesitate, I find it a little expensive for what it is, but those are the market prices unfortunately.

Score : 90  

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Graveyard Lillies - Don't Leave Me In The Dark