Ardbeg Day (Night) Sydney 2017 (Tasted #367 - #368)

Ardbeg Day which became a global event in 2012 is now one of the most anticipated whisky events of the year, held as part of Feis Ile; the Islay Festival of Malt and Music that has attracted significant fanfares globally.

Ardbeggians around the world have joined the Ardbeg Committee in huge numbers (currently estimated to be 100,000+) to not only access early exclusive Committee Releases of the annual Ardbeg Day special bottlings, but also to take part in Ardbeg Day (or shall we say Ardbeg Night) gatherings and celebrations around the world.

As is tradition, with Ardbeg Day also comes the annual Ardbeg Day release and it was back in August 2015 when we were the first blog globally to break the news that Ardbeg were playing around with Russian Oak, and suggested that this would likely be a future Ardbeg Day release. Fast forward to 2017 and the Ardbeg Kelpie was unveiled. A limited-edition bottling that saw Ardbeg's malt matured in virgin oak casks sourced from the Adyghe Republic, on the coast of the Black Sea region and married with traditional ex-bourbon Ardbeg malt. In our view, Kelpie was a particularly exciting and unique release.

Black Sea oak is renowned for imparting deep flavour notes and only a handful of whiskies have ever been matured in these casks - hence the excitement. Sweet, powerful, herbal and maritime notes describe the Kelpie. See below for our tasting notes on both the Kelpie Committee Release and Kelpie Retail Release.

So...what's a Kelpie anyway (other than this whisky)? The story goes that kelpie is the name of a mysterious beast that have been said to live beneath the waves. Being a Scottish shape-shifting water spirit, the Kelpie was rumoured to take the form of a horse or a bull and prey on unwitting travellers.

In fact, legend has it that long ago, a farmer walking near Ardbeg's shoreline was almost dragged out to sea by a water bull. Managing to overcome and rope the creature, he locked it in a barn where it cried for mercy. At dusk, the farmer's daughter was chased by a water horse seeking revenge for its kin. The terrified girl ran to the barn and released the water bull, whereupon the malevolent beasts took flight back to the sea.

Interesting folklore to complement an interesting release. In Sydney, the Ardbeg Day celebrations were equally interesting, with the main celebration taking place at Sydney Aquarium and others throughout Ardbeg embassies across town. Ardbeggians were able to score tickets in the weeks leading up to the day through the purchase of Ardbeg cocktails across a selected number of bars around Sydney CBD.



We joined the celebration at Sydney Aquarium where the Kelpie theme was well and truly alive with guests being presented cocktails amongst all the slithering sea creatures that swam around them. It was undoubtedly a unique and once in a lifetime experience to be able to walk the shark tanks at night with an Ardbeg cocktail in hand surrounded by dugong, sharks and all kind of sea creatures swimming about. Kudos to the creativity, ingenuity and passion of the Moet Hennessy team for putting this together for this year's Ardbeg Day.

Guests joined in, with props that breathed life into the Kelpie and maritime theme. Everything from dressing up as seaweed to strewing sea lanterns and fishnets around. Even Shortie joined in hanging out by the tanks with his favourite companion - Ardbeg Ten.

The main event was held at the Great Barrier Reef room with a couple of divers entertaining the guests and crashing a few selfies throughout the night. The unveiling of the Kelpie involved divers stretching out the Ardbeg flag and showcasing the 4.5L Kelpie to the guests before Garth Foster of Moet Hennessy welcomed the guests and spoke about the release.

Nothing like celebrating and sharing a dram with your mates and also a couple of hundred maritime creatures!

Having tasted the Committee Release few months ago, it was interesting to compare it to the Retail release on Ardbeg Day....thoughts below.

Ardbeg "Kelpie" Committee Release (57.1% ABV, NAS, Islay, Scotland, no longer available)
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Colour: Sauvignon Blanc

Nose: Sea breeze with whiff of cured seafood. The nose is pungent - though nice and salty, maritime. There's also an interesting mixture of milk chocolate, smoked / grilled fish, mediterranean spice. I love the nose of this particular release.

Palate: A mixture of chilli spice, beach bonfire, more of the smoked fish and maritime notes come through followed by some sweetness; milk chocolate, perhaps chilli chocolate. Lots of spices; pepper and nutmeg follows.

Finish: The finish is exquisitely long, oily, full of spices from the palate, briny and reeks of dying amber smoke

Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 93/10


Ardbeg "Kelpie" Retail Release (46% ABV, NAS, Islay, Scotland, A$169.99)
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Colour: Sauvignon Blanc

Nose: Just like the Committee Release, the smoke is there and there's almost a layer of umami; nori / seaweed with also hints of chocolate. Less smoked fish and maritime than its Committee Release counterpart and bringing it closer to your typical Ardbeg Ten.

Palate: The lower ABV has calmed this expression though there's still plenty of bonfire ash smoke, salted pork. The palate is also oily, maritime, sweet and citrusy and filled with spices. Not as varied as the Committee Release though more balanced and again draws you closer to that typical Ardbeg Ten.

Finish: Lingering smoke and salt with a touch of citrus

Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 91/100.

Of the two releases, I personally enjoyed the committee release more where the nose and the palate were both more eccentric and perhaps played to what the black sea casks offer. The retail release is definitely well balanced and brings out more of the typical Ardbeg smoke and characteristics. Nevertheless, I would still have both as my everyday dram - especially in these cold and dark Sydney winter nights. Both releases are interesting in their own right and the use of the black oak casks introduced some maritime and briny characters which were both exciting and surprising.

Until next time Ardbeggians!!

Cheers,
Hendy

Ardbeg Night Sydney 2016 (Tasted #298 - 299)

Inspired by the colour of the new Ardbeg release, this year's annual Ardbeg Day was flipped into a more fitting celebration - Ardbeg Night. The notion of Ardbeg Night, other than to resemble the dark impression of the new Ardbeg "Dark Cove" release, was also to symbolise the gruelling tales from the 19th century when Ardbeg's Islay homeland was used by whisky smugglers as a notorious hideout. Prior to the founding of the Ardbeg Distillery by John McDougall, illicit whisky trade took place within caves and beaches around the site, hidden away from the island's excise officer.

With the increasing popularity of Ardbeg Day over the years (last year Ardbeg Day saw over 15,000 people attend 135 events globally), this year, few lucky Ardbeggians who purchased the Ardbeg Dark Cove Committee Release between March and April 2016 were awarded with tickets to the Ardbeg Night celebrations (our friend Matt Wooler of Distant Thunder Whisky Club (DTWC) was even one of those lucky Ardbeggians). To complement the Committee Release, a regular "Dark Cove" release was also launched. The regular expression is cut at 46.5% ABV whilst its committee brethren is cut at a  higher 55% ABV. See below for tasting notes on both, and here for Martin's earlier tasting notes on the Committee Release.

The 2016 Ardbeg Night Sydney was held on 28 May 2016, coinciding with the final day of Feis Ile 2016.

As Martin covered in the last post, the inaugural Hong Kong Ardbeg Night was held the night before at a venue known as "The Warehouse." Although there was no mention of the new Ardbeg "Dark Cove" release, the night appeared to be a success. 

In Sydney, no details were provided ahead of the day, other than for us Ardbeggians to congregate at Millers Point wharf at a set time. Boarding the chartered ferry at Millers Point, none of us were told where we were headed. It wasn't until I opened Google Maps upon docking that I realised we'd all been taken to an island not far from Millers Point; Goat Island. The warehouse on Goat Island was lit with a giant Ardbeg display and the setup even gave Vivid Sydney a run for its money.

Inside the warehouse, the atmosphere was "electrical". Old lanterns were scattered across the warehouse, giving it an eerie, dark and mysterious feel. The main bar was located at the centre of the warehouse and along the warehouse perimeter were activity stations where Ardbeggians could compete in everything from quoits to tug of war. The best part, (almost) everyone won. Some of the giveaways included Ardbeg umbrellas, Ardbeg beanies and a plush Shorties. Sadly, I only walked away with a beanie.



Upon arrival, Ardbeggians were spoiled with three different Ardbeg 10yo based cocktails:

• Ardbeg Lunar Eclipse; concoction of Ardbeg 10yo, apple juice, yuzu and sugar syrup 
• Peat'v Green; Ardbeg 10yo, elderflower, fennel syrup, cucumber juice
• Fashionable Smuggler; Ardbeg 10yo, Montenegro Amaro, coconut fat wash, pineapple syrup, chocolate bitters

All three cocktails were created by The Whisky Room and made good use of the classic Ardbeg 10yo as a base. The Lunar Eclipse was certainly refreshing. The others, sadly, I didn't get my hands on them though rumour has it that the favourite amongst the crowd was the Fashionable Smuggler.

As with last year's Ardbeg Day, Andrew Derbidge of Whisky and Wisdom (and Cellarmaster of the SMWS) was the honorary guest that had been bestowed with the responsibility of unveiling the new Dark Cove.

"Dark Cove" was described by Andrew as rich, filled with dark chocolate and cured ham. The general release of the expression was the one that had been previewed on the night with the Committee Release MIA. The expression saw maturation in both ex-bourbon and ex-dark sherry barrels. The darker appearance is what gives Dark Cove its name. 

Garth, the Ardbeg Ambassador was busy pouring out refills of the Dark Cove release (from a 4.5L Jeroboam) all night long.

 

Before delving into my personal notes on the general release, I compared my committee release notes against those from Martin's (below) from the time when Dark Cove was first released to the Ardbeg Committee back in March 2016. For comparison, here are my notes:

Ardbeg "Dark Cove" Committee Release (55% ABV, NAS, Islay, Scotland, no longer available)
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The Dark Cove release, to me, is one bold Ardbeg, punching the Ardbeg smoke yet showcasing other pleasant, fresh and crisp notes. This is an Ardbeg that you can love any day of the week.

Colour: Deep, orange copper (tinge of amber)

Nose: Rich, creamy, loads of raisins. The maritime note are subtle, so is the peat. The whiff is crisp and clean like fresh winter morning. 

Palate: Creamy and rich on the palate with summer berries, toffee, chocolate (chocolate berry tart?) coming through at first, followed by the Ardbeg campfire smoke; the peat. As the palate develops, it is then balanced with sweet peanut brittles and spices closely resembling nutmeg and cloves. 

Finish: Very long and smoky, ashy with fading maritime and spice notes. This fella sticks with you for a while.

Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 92/100 (not vastly different and the sherry influence does make this Dark Cove that extra bit special).

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Martin's "Dark Cove" Notes - originally posted in March

Colour: The darkest Ardbeg ever? Darker than the current regular line-up, for sure, but not quite El Diablo territory, and not as dark as some recent SMWS bottlings. Deep amber.

Nose: Rich, creamy peat....loads of peat. Coastal peat though - more maritime and less "campfire" than you may expect. Banana lollies and an overall freshness. At a guess I'd say there's a fair amount of youngish Ardbeg in here.

Palate: Big, rich and chewy. Peaty caramels (now there's an idea)! There's definite sherry influence, with red berries and a hint of mocha, but also a younger, fresher, sweeter character - licorice allsorts, musk sticks. Loads of coastal peat throughout.

Finish: Long and coastal-smoky. Fish nets, oysters, brine. With water comes a slightly earthier smoke. A hint of tannins at the end.

Rating (on Martin's very non-scientific scale): 91/100. Another very enjoyable Ardbeg, one with a younger, stronger peat influence than some of the previous Ardbeg Day bottlings.

Ardbeg "Dark Cove" Regular Release (46.5% ABV, NAS, Islay, Scotland, A$186)

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In comparison with the Committee Release, the General Release was equally as good though it did not punch as much sherry notes into you in the same way the Committee Release did. Nevertheless, in my view, the general release is equally a very nice and bold Ardbeg. Though given the choice and my preference for cask strength whiskies, I'd choose the Committee Release.

Colour: Deep, orange copper (tinge of amber) - I couldn't see any difference

Nose: Rich, creamy, fresh crisp morning maritime air. There is toffee, peppermint and raisins (though constrained). 

Palate: Similar to the Committee Release, the palate is creamy and rich, filled with child dark chocolate (the Lindt kind), jamón and sea salt. The Ardbeg campfire smoke; the peat is there and not over powering. As the palate develops, the grassy and peppery spices become more prominent. 

Finish: Long and smoky, the finish is dry (almost like dry wood chip smoke) and leaves quite a bit of tannin.

Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 92/100

With the excise men about to knock down our door, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank Ardbeg and the folks at EVH PR for their hospitality. Another year, another success. The Ardbeg Night theme was different, eccentric, yet brilliantly thought out. Most importantly the night brought all Australian Ardbeggians together to celebrate this ecciting new release.

Until the next Ardbeg pour, Happy Ardbeg Day Night 2016!

Cheers

Hendy

Ardbeg Night Hong Kong 2016 review

After attending Ardbeg Day in Sydney in 2012, 2013 and again in 2014 (each event one of the best of the year), it was a shame to miss out on 2015's celebrations, though luckily Hendy attended and brought us all the info and some great photos.

Not being in Sydney again this year, I assumed I'd again be missing out on all the fun, when I learned that an official  Ardbeg Day Ardbeg Night was happening here in Hong Kong!

So along I went last Friday night to check it out and see how the event compared to the incredible Sydney Ardbeg Days. 

Held in a tri-level function space known as "The Warehouse" in Sai Ying Pun (which the organisers must have assumed would be hard to find, as they had staff placed in the surrounding streets directing guests all night), the party followed a similar format to Ardbeg Days in Sydney and around the world - i.e. games, giveaways, cocktails and a whole lot of Ardbeg.

A small desk set up on the street welcomed guests with an Ardbeg Day t-shirt, and a pair of 3D glasses which were required to read the secret codewords to gain entry ("Dark, Smoky, Peaty").

Giving the codewords at the entrance saw guests "branded" with an Ardbeg stamp, before being offered a welcome drink (Ardbeg 10 - neat or on the rocks) and the chance to have their photo taken with the Smuggler's Cove backdrop. Guests were also given stampcards, which after filling with two stamps (available by winning the games), entitled them to a hearty pour of Uigedail on the top level.

Heading up the stairs to the first level, guests were free to choose from 3 games (Tug o' War, "Stand Ardbeg up" and a boat game), or enjoy canapés and Bloody Marys made with Ardbeg 10 (which were delicious). We arrived right as the event started (hence the photos being not-too-crowded), but within 20 minutes the venue was packed.

As well as the Uigedail, the top level also had space for guests to sit and chat, and a (very challenging!) two-person game involving a ship's steering wheel, a silver marker and a maze. Fun, but not easy (and even less so after a few Uigedails)!

Another game involved seeing how long guests could hold an Ardbeg Mor (4.5L bottle / Jeroboam) with an outstretched arm (on the way out yours truly set the record at 1:01 - a time we're not sure was later beaten)!

With the Ardbeg flowing freely, the DJ keeping the venue cranking and everyone enjoying the games, it was a great night, even if it was a smaller celebration than the previous Sydney events.

Of course - you may wonder when the Dark Cove appeared. Sadly, it didn't! Hong Kong isn't getting an allocation (of either the regular edition or the Committee Release), and so there was none on tasting. See here for our tasting notes on the Committee Release from last month, and Hendy will have his thoughts on the regular edition, along with his write-up of the Sydney celebrations, up shortly).

Cheers,

Martin.