Wee Beastie - what an interesting dram.
I've had to spend some time over the course of the evening with this one before i could finalise my tasting notes. Well done to Ardbeg for the big, bold 5 year old age statement. Don't let its youth deceive because there's a lot going on here.
When I opened the bottle I was hit with a waft of a yeasty sourdough starter which followed quite an enthusiastic pop of the cork. This yeasty note, almost a funk, followed through onto the nose which is youthful peat, cut grass, lemon, lemon sherbet, creosote, medicinal, salty, smoke. I find a hint of creamy vanilla but savoury notes dominate.
Initially, the palate is dry, smoke and ash follow with a pleasant chewy mouth feel. Pepper heat follows along with some alcohol heat. It's bottled at 47.4% and is all the better for it and at no point does the ABV dominate. I get bitter dark chocolate, very dark, think Lindt 90%. The bitter note is quite prominent and it opens up onto meat charred on the fire. There is a definite funk that floats in the background along with enough smoke.
The finish is medium to long. It's dry, pepper heat lingers and fades into ash and I get an oily mouthfee. That bitterness of the dark chocolate note lingers, which I'm not too sure about.
A few drops of water releases some sweetness on the nose and even more citrus. On the palate, more charcuterie and I find that the dark cocao is more emphasised.
In conclusion, it's bold and brash and quite in your face. It's unmistakably young peat. It harks back to a Kilchoman I've had before whose expression I can't quite finger. This is a savoury whisky and don't come looking for Ardbeg 10 sweet peat. There's this funk that reminds me of that characteristic note that's a feature of Bruichladdich and this whisky is all the better for it. Wee Beastie seems to like some time in the glass and it wants to get past the first few neck pours.
I'm reserving judgement on this one, I need to spend a bit more time with it and hence no rating. I believe this one will benefit from a bit from a bit of time in an unsealed bottle. Initial thoughts are that I like it and I like what Ardbeg have done with it. Ardbeg 10, however, is still the benchmark. The local price point is a bit high (circa R600) and that does not bode well for future pricing of it's older sibling.
If you've had it, let me know what you think.
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