Ardbeg is among the companies that has been leading the NAS (no age statement) wave in scotch, and their Corryvreckan just might be the world's most acclaimed NAS scotch.
The Corryvreckan is a beast that has achieved superlative reviews and phenomenal ratings across whisky magazines and review sites. It won the World's Best Single Malt Whisky award at the 2010 World Whisky Awards, and Jim Murray rated it as the best NAS scotch in his famed Whisky Bible.
The whisky takes its name from the famous whirlpool that lies North of the Islay, and the distiller reports that just like the whirlpool, it is "not for the faint of heart." Having sipped of this liquid, I would tend to agree. It is bottled at cask strength at 57.1% ABV and is not chill filtered.
I have had the particular bottle that I will be reviewing for a handful of months, and I have enjoyed the heck out of it. It is an experience in a bottle. Each time I try it, I find new points of focus and pick out new flavors. It is huge and complex and attacks with unyielding strength.
I have been looking forward to reviewing this bottle for a long time. Can you tell?
Tasting Notes
Nose: The nose is lead by a briney seaweed and smokey peat, exactly what I expected from an Ardbeg. A breadth of pine needles comes forward next, followed by a surprising menthol. There is a sweetness that comes exclusively from fruit tones, surprisingly sour and/or tropical. I can't pick them all out, but I believe I can catch raspberries, pineapples, and kiwis. There are faint notes of cinnamon and red pepper powder and a very light woodiness. There is an alcohol burn, but it is somewhat lighter than I would've expected at 57.1% ABV. It is, overall, a wonderfully complex nose. Water brings forward a lovely caramel that balances with the smoke.
Taste: The mouth feel is deep and thick and accompanied by early tannins. The attack begins with leather and vanilla before giving way to a huge and lingering peaty and oaky smoke. Earth like a mouthful of dirt (in a good way!). Miles of pineapple, but surprisingly the rest of the fruit has vanished. Cardamon, cinnamon, and pepper round out the palate. Water softens the smoke and brings out toffee and caramel without harming the rest of the palate's profile.
Finish: The finish starts with a mouthful of ash that lingers to the end. While that doesn't sound all that nice, it is. Tannins dry the mouth to compliment the ashy taste. The finish is exquisitely long.
Review
BOOM!!!
Let me start out by saying that this scotch is absolutely HUGE. It's one of those ones where you take a sip then have to look at your glass for a moment in wonder. How the hell can they pack that much flavor into a liquid!?
In terms of the nose, I am utterly and completely sold on the combination of the intensely oceanic seaweed and smoke that contrasts itself with the sweet but sour tropical fruits. The combination is surprising but beautiful.
The palate is similarly complex, but what attacks first does so with such intensity and with such balance, sifting beneath it is not even necessary to enjoy this whisky.
In terms of negatives, there is an undefinable harshness to it, expressed most strongly on the palate. As this is a NAS bottle, I have to assume that some of the liquid is fairly young. While this harshness can sometimes detract, I tend to think that it wraps itself up nicely into the overall smokiness and intensity of the scotch. I'm having difficulty putting this message into words, but my thought is that the harshness "feels right" within the larger profile of this whisky.
I found that adding a few drops of water did little to harm the flavors that were present while bringing forward a sweetness and toning down the alcohol a bit. Although the alcohol is by no means as brutal as the 57.1% ABV would imply, it is easier to appreciate the complexity of the scotch once it has been relaxed a bit.
This one falls into the category of Big Whisky and Top Scotch. This is not something you're going to pour a glass of while you watch a movie with friends or loved ones. This is an experience in a glass.
Scotch Dreams Score: 92/100
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