Taste Off! Ardbeg Seventeen - Old versus New

Soon after purchasing Ardbeg distillery in 1997, Glenmorangie Plc released a 17 year old version of this Islay whisky to the then-tiny single malt market. The distillery had been closed from 1981 to 1987 by Hiram Walker, so the chillfiltered 40%abv expression had a very limited future. In fact, if one does some complex math, one will realize the batches bottled from 1999 to 2004 (its final year) were older than 17 years. After 2004, the Airigh Nam Beist briefly offered enthusiasts a standard release older than the Ten, otherwise everyone would have to wait until 2019 for a consistent teenage Ardbeg, the 19yo.

In 2023, Doc Bill Lumsden and his Ardbeg crew conjured up a new limited 17, in honor of the defunct whisky. Because the old Hiram Walker distillate was less peaty than the current spirit, the Glenmo/LVMH blenders mixed some unpeated(!) 17yo Ardbeg in with the peated 17yo stuff. Then, in an unusual maneuver for the brand, the resulting whisky was chillfiltered and reduced to 40%abv.

I am grateful to have very recently gotten in on a bottle split of both the old and new 17s. And here they are, quietly resting in stemmed receptacles:

Old one on the left
Lighter new one on the right
Side by side at night

Ardbeg 17 year old Hiram Walker spirit released 1997-2004 40%abv	Ardbeg 17 year old LVMH spirit released 2023 40%abv
A mix of charred things (beef and wheat toast) and fruit things (apple butter and raspberries) fills the nose, with milder notes of oysters, burlap, and metal in the background.	The nose is pretty loud, on-brand. Manure, seaweed, and soil form the top layer. Calvados and old sweat in the middle. Pound cake and snickerdoodles in the back.
The palate has multiple gears! First up: mild kiln smoke, Rose's grenadine, and vanilla frosting. Second gear (at 30 mins): Taffy, grapefruit juice, and a hint of bitter pith. Then, at the 45 minute mark: a sturdy savoriness.	Though the palate is very salty, it's much less peaty than any other current Ardbeg. Brown sugar, chlorine, mint extract, and a slight bitterness develop over time.
The kiln note sticks around through the finish, followed by orange pixy stix, lemon juice, and a subtle herbal bitterness. Good length.	"Ardbeg Ten Lite" is my first finish note, followed by, "cigarette ash to go with the chimney soot". A bit of minty toothpaste, too. Good length.
Comments: This is a great drinker, especially when you're in no mood to quaff peat and heat. Thought there's a little bit of complexity present, it's not intellectual stuff. I could use another belt of this.	Comments: It is louder and simpler than the old version, and there's really no way to get around that with the contemporary spirit. But there's a pleasant simplicity to it, and the nose is very good.
Rating: 87	Rating: 83

WORDS WORDS WORDS

As you may have heard from other bloggers, "old" Ardbeg can be fabulous. Yes, I'm sure ye olde Seventeen could have been dynamite with no chillfiltration and less dilution, but it still shines in its actual form. The new 17 was better than I had expected. Many of the distillery's annual WTF releases and the merely-good current Uigeadail have warped my view of Ardbeg. (Maybe I should stick to their bourbon cask stuff going forward?) If Dr. Bill ever decides to tinker (read: lower) Ardbeg's peat levels, I'd certainly be interested in seeing where that would lead. That's the best part of the new 17, it teases possibilities.

Concluding the Teaninich Cluster

(Teaninich cluster homepage)

Ah, finally a quiet night here at home. Autumn is finally falling. I've fashioned a hot dinner just for me — tofu is best when cooked in bacon fat, just sayin' — and have a glass off orange wine from the Allan commune at hand. I can finally take a look back at this long Teaninich cluster.

Going into this cluster I thought I was about to find my new favorite hush-hush distillery. Previous experiences were very good, and no one (including Diageo) talks about the distillery. But now that the cluster has completed, while I did find the whiskies pretty darned good, I'm not convinced enough to buy a Teaninich bottle blindly. As long as the whisky remains bright and sweet it starts to blend in with many other Highlands and Speyside distilleries, thus its role in actual Diageo blends. When it tilts a little darker, I'm smitten, but that didn't happen often in this series.

Out of 16 whiskies, 14 graded in the 80s, 2 in the 70s. Here's the list:

These average out 84.2, a low B. The whiskies under 20 years, whiskies within most of our price ranges, have a mean of 82.8, a B-.

The market is flooded with B- whiskies, which wouldn't be a tragedy if prices plateaued at some point. A very experienced whisky geek once declared, "Life is too short for 85-point whisky." And though he has a good point, I'd amend it to, "Life is too short to buy full bottles of 85-point whisky, pending one's budget." Of course I want the 35yo Signatory, but its price tag averages about $700.

My favorite cluster members under the age of the 20 were bottled seven and fifteen years ago. Of the <20yo Teaninichs bottled in this decade, I don't think I'd try them again, let alone buy a whole bottle.

This is not a terrible situation for fans like me, folks who already have more bottles than we can consume. As prices inflate, we have to curate. We can lower our standards or raise them. I always encourage the latter, both to hold producers accountable (macro) and to fill each of our cabinets with delicious drinks (micro).

This was fun, Teaninich! Keep filling up the blends that keep this industry alive.

Teaninich 40 year old 1973 Old & Rare, Platinum Selection

(Teaninich cluster homepage)

Yes, the cluster's final Teaninich survived 40 years in oak, specifically a "Sherry Hogshead", though I'm betting on at least one re-racking in its lifetime. It's neither some brittle 40.2%abv thing, nor a 62%abv wunderfreak, nor is it coffee-colored (despite the photo below), all of which bodes well for this single malt. This sample has been staring at me for eight weeks, so it's time to release it from its prison.

Distillery: Teaninich
Ownership: Diageo
Region: Northern-ish Highlands
Independent Bottler: Hunter Laing
Series: Old & Rare
Age: 40 years old (December 1973 - October 2014)
Maturation: Sherry Hogshead
Outturn: 229 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 48.9%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

Its nose's first note is a burst of sugar, but that recedes revealing nutty oloroso, orange peel, and cloves. Almonds and walnuts eventually take over the foreground, with apricots and earthy molasses in the middle, and yuzu in the background.

LOTS of sandalwood in the early palate, with some cherry juice and musty dusty dunnage playing second fiddle. After 30 minutes, an old rye whiskey spiciness sneaks in along with toffee, marzipan, and pipe tobacco. Apples, oranges, and limes arrive at the hour mark. Though there's plenty of wood present, the palate never gets bitter or drying.

The finish goes through a few shifts. First up, toffee and almonds. Later, oranges and zingy ginger powder. After an hour or so, tobacco smoke floats up.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Kudos to the Hunter Laing crew for the cask management on this one. The oak registers gracefully, never, um, lumbering. Quite smitten by the palate and thinking this was a 90+ pointer, I tried it next to my Bunnahabhain '80, but the Teaninich just couldn't defeat it. However, this oldie is a comfy old critter, especially once the tobacco and smoke notes appear, and a fitting way to end the cluster. Now it's time for me to step back to see if I gleaned anything from consuming 16 Teaninichs...

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - ????
Rating - 89

Teaninich 27 year old 1972 Rare Malts

(Teaninich cluster homepage)

Yesterday brought a 1972 Rare Malts Teaninich. Today also brings a 1972 Rare Malts Teaninich. This one's casks must have been part of the same Swedish sauna parcel as yesterday's 23yo release, as this one flexes 64.2%abv at 27 years of age. The 23 needed some water to open up the palate, though the nose was spot on at full strength. Honestly, I've never had 27-year-old rocket fuel before, so I don't know what to expect.

Distillery: Teaninich
Ownership: Diageo
Region: Northern-ish Highlands
Range: Rare Malts
Age: 27 years old (1972 - October 2000)
Maturation: ???
Outturn: ???? bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 64.2%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

A very cuddly nose: shortbread biscuits, sugar cookies, pound cake, apricots, and a hint of molasses. The real heat is in the palate. It registers hot, tangy, and sweet, with lots of oranges and cinnamon. The finish mostly matches the palate, though it adds a little salt.

A wee touch of water...

DILUTED to 100 UK proof, or 57.1%abv

The nose shifts slightly towards butterscotch chips, confectioner's sugar, and ocean air. Meanwhile, the palate opens up. It balances sweetness and minerals well. Lime lollies and orange popsicles. Perhaps a touch of dunnage in there too. The finish seems longer here, all oranges candies and lime candies.

Going to soften it up a little more...

DILUTED to 100 US proof, or 50%abv

Oh, I like where the nose is going with its apricots, sugar cookies, and dunnage funk. Barley takes front seat in the palate, with lemon cake and orange cranberry scones in the midground. Again, the finish matches the palate, though it adds some bitterness to balance the sweetness.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Like the 23, this 27yo isn't the most complex whisky in this cluster, but it tastes delicious and smells intoxicating (sorry, that was an actual hand-written note). The nose works with or without water, but the palate needs some dilution to reveal its best sides. I don't know if anyone, two decades ago, spent time with a bottle of this stuff, experimenting to find its peak ABV. Perhaps there's a 90+ point whisky hidden in there. Or maybe it's just a very good drink.

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - ????
Rating - 88

Teaninich 23 year old 1972 Rare Malts

(Teaninich cluster homepage)

Time to go back to 1972 for ye olden Teaninich; or rather 1996, which is when United Distillers (proto-Diageo) bottled this absolute firewater for their Rare Malts range. I'm not sure what casks this whisky was aged in, nor how many, but its hue is quite light. One must assume there was a Swedish sauna onsite because this creature registers hotter than filling strength after 23 years. In my experience, the Rare Malts are usually of very high quality, so lemme see how this Tea be.

Distillery: Teaninich
Ownership: Diageo
Region: Northern-ish Highlands
Range: Rare Malts
Age: 23 years old (1972 - 1996)
Maturation: ???
Outturn: ???? bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 64.95%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

It's very noseable, and for that I'm grateful. Ocean water, peaches, lemon, and shortbread find their way out of the glass first. After 30+ minutes, agave nectar and prosecco appear, with hints of roses and burlap in the background. The palate is obviously hot as hell. It's also very malty, with almonds and tart plums in the back. It finishes tart and nutty.

A little bit of water...

DILUTED to 100 UK proof, or 57.1%abv

Gingerbread joins the shortbread in the nose, followed by orange candy, lemon bars, and whiff of something industrial. On the palate, there's baked peaches with lemon juice and sea salt, then tart apples and malt. It finishes with sweet peach pie and tangy applesauce.

A little more water...

DILUTED to 100 US proof, or 50%abv

The nose gets simpler, with barley, lemons, peaches, and the ocean. The palate gets leaner too. Barley and brown sugar, limes and minerals. Still with a good length, the finish is all malt and limes.

And now I'm out of whisky.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Nearly 30 bottle years did not calm the burn, though the whisky was somewhat approachable at full power. The nose was excellent and the palate showed promise. Dilution seemed to limit the nose, rather than open it up, or maybe I needed more water (and whisky). Conversely, water helps the palate out, cooling it off and revealing the fruits. Though the whisky's complexity doesn't impress much, the hardy vibrant barley notes are lovely after 23 years. Now how about another 1972...

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - ???
Rating - 87

Teaninich 35 year old 1983 Signatory, cask 8070

(Teaninich cluster homepage)

For its 30th anniversary, SMWS bottled yesterday's 1983 Teaninich. Signatory Vintage bottled today's 1983 Teaninich for its own 30th birthday. It was only appropriate to try the two whiskies side-by-side. This 35 year old is a rarity for this cluster in that it came from an actual sherry butt. The cask has a very high outturn, which makes one wonder if this was re-casked at some point within its last decade. It also punches in at 57.5%abv, which is some hot stuff for a 35yo single malt. Yesterday's '83 went heavy on the oak, what about today's '83?

Distillery: Teaninich
Ownership: Diageo
Region: Northern-ish Highlands
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Age: 35 years old (7 Dec 1983 - 12 Dec 2018)
Maturation: Refill sherry butt
Cask number: 8070
Outturn: 575 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 57.5%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

Though the nose has a mix of mango and citronella that nearly matches yesterday's 29yo, the similarity ends there. Cherry compote, Frosted Flakes, Macintosh apples, and basil leaf fill out the sniffer, with quieter notes of blossoms and charred veg lingering behind. The fascinating palate starts with old cognac, sweet apples, tart oranges, and peach nectar. Cherry compote and lemon juice arrive after 40+ minutes. The lack of tannin is startling. It finishes sweet and tart, with limes, clementines, cherries, and nectarines.

I'm being careful with the water for this oldie...

DILUTED to ~50%abv, or <1 tsp of water per 30ml of whisky

The nose becomes more metallic, and toasted oak makes a few cameos. Peaches and shortbread float through the midground. There's more wood spice in the palate now; more lemons as well. Orange candy, vanilla, and a hint of wood smoke make up the rest. The finish is shorter and sweeter, with dusty oak and lemon candy.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Keep this one neat, and it's a near gem. Serge loves it, as does the Whiskybase community, and I can see why. It's lit up with fruits, but something sort of smoky lingers beneath (perhaps like the official 17?), providing some welcome angles and depth. Were that darker note a little bolder, this would be a 90+-point malt. It's still terrific as is though, especially with the lack of clumsy oak, and ranks as my favorite whisky from this cluster so far. Will any of the next three Teaninichs unseat it???

Availability - Might still be available in Continental Europe
Pricing - €600 to €800 w/VAT
Rating - 89 (neat only)

Teaninich 29 year old 1983 SMWS 59.46

(Teaninich cluster homepage)

I promised "considerably older" Teaninichs in my last Teaninich Cluster post, and thus it begins here with a 29 year old 1983 single hogshead bottled by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society for their 30th Anniversary outturn. Back in 1983 there was a Teaninich "A" and a Teaninich "B" distillery on site. SMWS doesn't specific which one this cask came from, though I don't know if any indie bottlers ever had that inside information. This specific Teaninich was dubbed "Jellybean dream", and I'm not sure if that's a good or bad omen...

Distillery: Teaninich
Ownership: Diageo
Region: Northern-ish Highlands
Bottler: Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Age: 29 years old (8 November 1983 - 2013)
Maturation: refill hogshead
Cask number: 59.46, "Jellybean dream"
Outturn: 194 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 52.4%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

The nose starts off very pretty and promising with mangoes, apricots, rosewater, and amaretto. Pencil shavings and aloe appear after 30 minutes and remain somewhere in the middle, while a citronella candle burns in the background. On the other side of things, the palate is intensely woody, loaded with lumber and barrel char. All bitter and peppery. Tart limes, vanilla, tobacco, and Midori liqueur never fully break into the foreground. The tannin-loaded finish numbs the tongue, with cardboard, limes, serrano chiles, and Midori liqueur occasionally peeking through.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or >¾ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

The nose takes a curious turn towards maple syrup, cantaloupe, candied orange peel, barrel char, and jalapeños. But, thankfully, the palate has been rescued, with more limes and oranges, less tobacco, fewer chiles, and a splash of coconut milk. It finishes like caipirinha before the cachaça is added, all limes muddled with sugar.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Dilution saves the whisky! The neat palate and finish are, frankly, not good. Any balance or complexity has been beaten to death with 2x4s, which is a shame because the nose hints at something excellent within. Dropping the ABV down to 46% awakens the fruits, and brings some depth to the oak notes, lifting a C-grade gremlin to a B-grade sipper. Still, this whisky was probably much more fun when it was 10 years younger, just like me!

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - ???
Rating - 84 (Diluted only. It's in the 70s when neat.)