My previous review of the venerable Ardbeg 10 was an unusually timely review. That was back in 2017 and I was reviewing the 2016 release. Today I have a review for you of the 2013 release. (I’ve previously also reviewed the 2007 and 2009 releases.) I’m not sure if I’ve had any Ardbeg 10 released since 2016 and I don’t have any sitting on my shelves. After this bottle is done, the only Ardbeg 10 I’ll have left is a bottle from the 2008 release. And so my reviews are going further back in time. That’s a bit of a shame as this is one of the great classic malts; along with the Lagavulin 16 and the Laphroaig 10, it used to be the cornerstone of the collection of every lover of peated whisky from Islay. I really should seek it out again—and I should probably check in on more recent releases of the Laphroaig 10 and Lagavulin 16 as well. I’m not buying much whisky any more these days—can’t remember which the last bottle I purchased was, or when I purchased it—but these are easily available in bars. Okay, let’s see what this one is like.

Ardbeg 10, 2013 Release (46%; from my own bottle)

Nose: The classic Ardbeg complex of lemon, cereals, a big whack of carbolic peat (Dettol) and just a hint of brine beyond. Sweeter as it sits with the cereals joined by some vanilla-cream. Water melds everything together nicely and pulls out some savoury notes (cracked coriander seed)

Palate: Bigger, darker waves of smoke here and it turns quite tarry as I swallow. The sweet notes are here too but there’s less of the lemon and brine. Very nice texture, perfect drinking strength. Continues in this vein. A few drops of water and the tar gets pushed back a bit while some ashy smoke emerges in its place.

Finish: Long. The tar picks up in a big way here. With time there’s quite a bit of salt. As on the palate with water.

Comments: Very nice indeed. What’s the current Ardbeg 10 like?

Rating: 87 points.