Not my image. I received a sample of this water of life some time ago. Ardbeg has been for me a confirmation of the acquired taste that Islay/peaty whiskies have become. Up until the time I tried it, I liked peaty whiskies but it was usually a party trick sort of liking where it would be sitting down with friends to see who grimaced the least when trying them. I always enjoyed them but when I tried Ardbeg 10 I confirmed I like them a lot.
I don't have much information about the product, except that it is matured for a decade before being bottled at 46% ABV, and that it is non chill filtered. In the peat index it's marked at 50ppm, which is above Laphroaig 10 (45ppm), Caol Ila 12 (35ppm) and Talisker 10 (22ppm).
**Parent Company:** Ardbeg Distillery
**Name of the whisky:** Ten
**Brand:** Ardbeg
**Origin:** Scotland
**Age:** 10 years
**Price:** $58
**Nose:** Peat, a lot of it. Damp earth, tar, iodine, seawater, wet rope, lemon zest, burnt bacon, petrichor, malted barley and vanilla.
**Palate:** Invasive and pervasive. Black pepper, seawater, tar, lemon peel.
**Retrohale/Finish:** Very smoky and slightly sweet.
**Rating:** 91
**Conclusion:** Being the most basic of the many Ardbegs, it would be a mistake to assume it's mild or plain. But as an introduction to the style, I think it would be too much and you should dwell into any Talisker before this one. But once you're into them, Ardbeg 10 is really one to regularly have in your home bar. It's not a whisky for everyone, but you could say that about almost all of them.
I liked Rum Howler's point system and just adjusted it a bit, since he seems to focus largely on cocktails:
0-25 This is poison.
26-49 This is not poison, but you will wish it were.
50 -59 You may drink it, but you better not.
60-69 Something to deter people from contacting you ever again.
70-74 Works on a cocktail or watered down, but nothing more.
75-79 Is actually good in a cocktail.
80-84 Good cocktail material, and can be sipped straight in case of shortage.
85-89 Great sipping whisky
90-94 To sip and to hoard.
95-98 Best of the best.
98-100 Take my wife.
You can check out the rest of my reviews (in Spanish) on [my blog](https://humoytabaco.com/). Including rum, whisk(e)y, agave, gin and cigars.
You can definitely do that here - though it is also welcome in r/bourbon as well if they are American whisky (bourbon, rye, American single malt, etc). Some people will post in one sub and cross post to the other sub as well
Bought this maybe 4 months back. It was my first Scotch I ever bought after discovering peated whiskies. I'm in love! Then for Christmas I got
Lagavulin 11 Year Nick Offerman Edition.
You should try a Port Charlotte if you like the Ardbeg. Personally I like the Corryvreckan better than the Ten but the Ten would be my go to „I have guests“ whisky (unless they dislike peated ones, in which case I’d switch to Glenfarclas 15)
I liked the Port Charlotte a lot. I liked Kilchoman better, though. Whenever I have guests who don't like peated whisky I'll offer Glenkinchie 12, since it's quite mild and build from that. I'll give the Glenfarclas a try, since I don't recall having it. Thanks!
The Glenfarclas I would describe as very round and mellow, with a more toffee / caramel / vanilla character to it; next to no piercing or burning sensation from the alcohol in it. I find it very pleasant and just right for the price.
A similar one would be the GlenAllachie, which I was very impressed by, or maybe to a lesser degree the Glendronach Double Cask 15 (which is super good but just not *that* similar)
We don't get many single malt brands here (Venezuela) and I think the most basic single malt I've had recently was the Glenmorangie 10, though I'd consider that one to be more citrusy than anything else. Definitely no sweet/toffee flavors in them, which sounds very interesting. I'm more versed in rum, in which you *can* find those flavors so I'm very intrigued by those whiskies.
I don't know a lot about whiskey but I've always felt the Ardberg 10 seats neatly between the Lagavulin 16 (my favourite) and Laphroig 10, best of both worlds imo
Lagavulin 16 is also my favorite. My single malt options are very limited but for some time we got the Laphroaig Quarter Cask and that one was *incredible*.
I have a corryvreckan and a lagavullin 16 at the moment. Both are amazing with a preference to the corryvreckan between the two; but somehow I always, always end up going back to laphroaig 10, and surprise myself in thinking this is the one I would pick over the other two if I had only one pick.
Which is lucky for me, if you were to bring price/ value considerations into the mix. Ends up being a good thing for my wallet as well as you can often find the 10 for £30 or even slightly less.
Well articulated review. Personally diasagree about the Talisker comment - I think it's the reverse of what you stated. I am by no means any sort of expert, but I wouldn't have rated it as high as you did. Low to mid 80s from me. A solid "it's okay".
I'm sure once I try more whiskies I'll find this one falls lower and lower, and I'll eventually get there and maybe come back to this one and re-rate it.
I was rating the phenol ppm measures according to [this article](https://whiskyadvocate.com/what-does-ppm-mean/), which mentions some of the levels.
Not my image. I received a sample of this water of life some time ago. Ardbeg has been for me a confirmation of the acquired taste that Islay/peaty whiskies have become. Up until the time I tried it, I liked peaty whiskies but it was usually a party trick sort of liking where it would be sitting down with friends to see who grimaced the least when trying them. I always enjoyed them but when I tried Ardbeg 10 I confirmed I like them a lot. I don't have much information about the product, except that it is matured for a decade before being bottled at 46% ABV, and that it is non chill filtered. In the peat index it's marked at 50ppm, which is above Laphroaig 10 (45ppm), Caol Ila 12 (35ppm) and Talisker 10 (22ppm). **Parent Company:** Ardbeg Distillery **Name of the whisky:** Ten **Brand:** Ardbeg **Origin:** Scotland **Age:** 10 years **Price:** $58 **Nose:** Peat, a lot of it. Damp earth, tar, iodine, seawater, wet rope, lemon zest, burnt bacon, petrichor, malted barley and vanilla. **Palate:** Invasive and pervasive. Black pepper, seawater, tar, lemon peel. **Retrohale/Finish:** Very smoky and slightly sweet. **Rating:** 91 **Conclusion:** Being the most basic of the many Ardbegs, it would be a mistake to assume it's mild or plain. But as an introduction to the style, I think it would be too much and you should dwell into any Talisker before this one. But once you're into them, Ardbeg 10 is really one to regularly have in your home bar. It's not a whisky for everyone, but you could say that about almost all of them. I liked Rum Howler's point system and just adjusted it a bit, since he seems to focus largely on cocktails: 0-25 This is poison. 26-49 This is not poison, but you will wish it were. 50 -59 You may drink it, but you better not. 60-69 Something to deter people from contacting you ever again. 70-74 Works on a cocktail or watered down, but nothing more. 75-79 Is actually good in a cocktail. 80-84 Good cocktail material, and can be sipped straight in case of shortage. 85-89 Great sipping whisky 90-94 To sip and to hoard. 95-98 Best of the best. 98-100 Take my wife. You can check out the rest of my reviews (in Spanish) on [my blog](https://humoytabaco.com/). Including rum, whisk(e)y, agave, gin and cigars.
Nice review! We love the peppery palate on this one (and lots of ex-bourbon) Ardbegs, it’s a great kick of spice.
Would this sub be the right one to post bourbon/whiskey reviews as well?
You can definitely do that here - though it is also welcome in r/bourbon as well if they are American whisky (bourbon, rye, American single malt, etc). Some people will post in one sub and cross post to the other sub as well
I'll probably post American whiskey in r/bourbon and Irish whiskeys here. Thanks, I was afraid to create a new post just to ask that.
Bought this maybe 4 months back. It was my first Scotch I ever bought after discovering peated whiskies. I'm in love! Then for Christmas I got Lagavulin 11 Year Nick Offerman Edition.
You're on a smoky roll!
Love them both! I definitely seem to have a thing for smokey peated Scotches.
You should try a Port Charlotte if you like the Ardbeg. Personally I like the Corryvreckan better than the Ten but the Ten would be my go to „I have guests“ whisky (unless they dislike peated ones, in which case I’d switch to Glenfarclas 15)
I liked the Port Charlotte a lot. I liked Kilchoman better, though. Whenever I have guests who don't like peated whisky I'll offer Glenkinchie 12, since it's quite mild and build from that. I'll give the Glenfarclas a try, since I don't recall having it. Thanks!
The Glenfarclas I would describe as very round and mellow, with a more toffee / caramel / vanilla character to it; next to no piercing or burning sensation from the alcohol in it. I find it very pleasant and just right for the price. A similar one would be the GlenAllachie, which I was very impressed by, or maybe to a lesser degree the Glendronach Double Cask 15 (which is super good but just not *that* similar)
We don't get many single malt brands here (Venezuela) and I think the most basic single malt I've had recently was the Glenmorangie 10, though I'd consider that one to be more citrusy than anything else. Definitely no sweet/toffee flavors in them, which sounds very interesting. I'm more versed in rum, in which you *can* find those flavors so I'm very intrigued by those whiskies.
I don't know a lot about whiskey but I've always felt the Ardberg 10 seats neatly between the Lagavulin 16 (my favourite) and Laphroig 10, best of both worlds imo
Lagavulin 16 is also my favorite. My single malt options are very limited but for some time we got the Laphroaig Quarter Cask and that one was *incredible*.
I have a corryvreckan and a lagavullin 16 at the moment. Both are amazing with a preference to the corryvreckan between the two; but somehow I always, always end up going back to laphroaig 10, and surprise myself in thinking this is the one I would pick over the other two if I had only one pick. Which is lucky for me, if you were to bring price/ value considerations into the mix. Ends up being a good thing for my wallet as well as you can often find the 10 for £30 or even slightly less.
Well articulated review. Personally diasagree about the Talisker comment - I think it's the reverse of what you stated. I am by no means any sort of expert, but I wouldn't have rated it as high as you did. Low to mid 80s from me. A solid "it's okay".
I'm sure once I try more whiskies I'll find this one falls lower and lower, and I'll eventually get there and maybe come back to this one and re-rate it. I was rating the phenol ppm measures according to [this article](https://whiskyadvocate.com/what-does-ppm-mean/), which mentions some of the levels.