Ardbeg Almost There is third in the run up to the release of the first Ardbeg 10 put out by Glenmorangie PLC after they acquired Ardbeg in 1997. Some production did start up in ’97, but full distillation and production didn’t begin until 1998 and that is when the distillate in this is from. The time from after the full production re-ramp up, but 3 years before LVMH bought them.
To put it bluntly, Almost There is pretty damn good. It’s a nice step up from the previous year’s release the Still Young, but not as good as what’s next. It’s also better than the 2013 (L13) Ardbeg 10 release, but now I’m getting way ahead of myself. After all, what’s the rush? We have a whole month of Ardbeg ahead of us. Now let’s get to the review!
Ardbeg Almost There Review
Distiller: Ardbeg
Age: 9 years
Price: $240 – $350
Distilled: 1998
Bottled: 2007
EYE
Pear juice
NOSE
Peat and complex fruit mix and mingle on their way out of the glass with notes of vanilla, spice and a malty sweetness trailing behind. It’s a wonderful aroma and a little water amps things up a notch. The peat still dominates the nose, but fruit and malty sweetness get a bit bolder to balance it out more.
PALATE
Peat, honey, vanilla and complex fruit blend move seamlessly to graham, malt, red licorice and grilled bread as it moves across the palate. Water brings out some nuanced notes of dark sweets and spice.
FINISH
Peat, fruit, vanilla, spice and smoked meat on a long slow fade.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
A nice balance with a medium body and a dense oily texture.
OVERALL
I like the Ardbeg Almost There more than I do the current L13 10 year release. The warm crisp aroma and sharp dense flavor pack a punch and deliver almost everything you want in an Ardbeg. This is some seriously good whisky and if it weren’t $240+ per bottle now I’d track myself one down, but for right now just having tried it is good enough for me.
SCORE: 90/100
