SMWS 33.113 Sweet, peaceful dreams is an appropriate name for this whisky. It feels light, but still manages to come on strong. It’s more subtle and while it has a different character than the Ardbeg Still Young (also a cask strength 8 year old) it doesn’t loose that essential X factor that marks something as an Ardbeg. I honestly can’t tell you what that X factor is, beyond being a warm deep character, but I can tell you I definitely notice when it’s gone.
The Single Malt Whisky Society has a well deserved reputation of picking out great casks of whisky that grow in value once the bottles are sold out. I’ve seen some of their bottles go for hundreds of dollars at auction if it came from a cask that picked up rave reviews. Which is really interesting to see because when under a 3rd party label it’s less the label and an age statement dictating the price as it is the liquid that’s in the bottle. Which is how it should be.
SMWS 33.113 Sweet, peaceful dreams info
Region: Islay, Scotland
Distiller: Ardbeg
Age: 8 years
ABV: 60.4%
Mashbill: 100% Malted barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon
Non-Chill Filtered
Natural Color
Cask Strength
Distilled: July 2003
Bottled: 8-24-2011
Price: $100+
SMWS 33.113 Sweet, peaceful dreams Review
EYE
American dry ginger ale
NOSE
A sharp delivery of peat, honey, orchard fruit, grassy hay like malt and a malty sweetness that runs through the aroma like a support beam. Lighter notes of vanilla, briny saline, citrus and minerality float about. Water kicks up some spice and raw grain notes, but not much else.
PALATE
Crisp peat, honey, orchard fruit and vanilla cut a path across the palate, leaving an easy path for notes of spice, malty sweetness, smoked meat, saline and citrus to come through. Water kicks up more of the fruit and spice, but that’s about it.
FINISH
Peat, vanilla, fruit, spice and smoked meat on a long fade.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Great balance throughout, medium body and a silken texture.
OVERALL
SMWS 33.113 Sweet, Peaceful Dreams is a great whisky and a nice representation of Ardbeg. The sharp, almost cutting delivery of the nose is lovely, the crisp palate and long warm finish make for a great drinking experience all around. This is a whisky I could drink all day and not get bored with. Good stuff.
SCORE: 90/100