Ardbeg Hypernova Committee HN2022 Release

 

 

 

51°

Distillery : Ardbeg - Islay 

Ex-Bourbon Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 170 ppm

 

 

 

Between 2009 and 2019, there were five editions of Supernova, peated beyond 100 ppm. But with this one, we're going even further, with no less than 170 ppm on the meter, making this whisky one of the most peated in the world, and the most peated Ardbeg. Reserved for members of the Ardbeg Committee, it is a very large-scale limited edition.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Intense peat, very thick, clumps of earth, mud, damp hay, slowly dripping tar. Different shades of charcoal. Beyond that, sanded wood, dry almonds, ethereal vanilla, creosote. Crumbling gypsum, in the dampness of a cave, with splinters of limestone, chalk, granite. Half-flooded tunnel, abandoned well. Goose fat, paraffin. Coppery notes. On the palate, it's a little young, but also very waxy. After a while, lovely velvety texture, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, varnished wood. Candied figs. Peat is embedded in each of the flavours. Spices are very present, but not overpowering. Long and powerful finish, like a tidal wave, lumpy coal, a drop of caramel, greasy earth, chocolate fondant. Cola nuts, very slight bitterness.

 

In Short, 

It's an exceptional experience, whether you like it or not. For me, it's one of the most peaty whiskies in the world, because every effort has been made to ensure that the peat present in the malted barley is reflected in the final product, which is not necessarily the case with Octomore. The casks used must have been refill casks, and even several times over, as their influence is barely noticeable. On the other hand, it is a little monolithic on the nose, inevitably, as there is almost nothing but peat, and it is light on the palate because it is young. It needs to be young to retain the power of the peat. That said, they should have bottled it at cask strength, as the liquid would have been denser. Despite its minor flaws, what has been achieved here is truly beyond comprehension, and any whisky enthusiast should take an interest in it. It is one of the extremes of the spectrum of flavours that whisky can offer.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

                                           Faetooth - White Noise