48°
Distillery : Ardbeg - Islay
Bourbon Casks and Spanish Tempranillo Red Wine Finish
Original Bottling
Limited Edition
Single Malt
Bottled in 2025
Unchillfiltered
Peated around 54 ppm
The Y2K Series is apparently something you don't want to miss. It consists of three bottlings distilled in the same year, 2000. The first is 23 years old and was finished in Oloroso sherry casks, the second is 24 years old and was finished in Amontillado sherry casks. And this one, the third and final release in the series, was finished in Spanish red wine casks from the Tempranillo region, specifically from the Numanthia bodego, which is also owned by LVMH. It’s a Toro wine appellation, made from small, thick-skinned red grapes that are rich in color and high in tannins. It’s unclear how long the finishing process lasted or how many bottles are being released, information I would have liked to know if I’d planned to buy one. Come to think of it, it’s odd that nowhere does it specify whether it’s colored or not. Normally, Ardbeg is never colored, but in this case, the doubt remains.
Let's Taste It :
Rich and dense black grapes, black tulip, great depth of peat with plenty of soot, smoky blackberries, redcurrant seeds, drops of honey, candied rhubarb, lingering caramel, liquorice, shoe polish. Balsamic vinegar, coffee grounds. On the palate, it is warm, argan oil, the oak offers a lovely development, dark chocolate, pomegranate, tannins, rich earth, charcoal-laden barbecue grease, pronounced spices, cloves, black pepper. A very long, very whirling finish, not very violent, chocolate pralines, black berries, wood soaked in fuel oil, capers, diesel. Mustard seeds, dragon fruit.
In Short,
It’s truly original and captivating, with great depth and complexity. You’re immersed in red berries, in a thick, almost viscous liquid, and in the powerful characteristics of the Ardbeg profile. It’s a real treat. That said, it’s completely overpriced, twice as expensive as it should be, in my humble opinion. Wait until you find it at auction.
Score : 90+
To Be Listened While Sipping :
This Eternal Decay - Red Orchid
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