Review #347 - Ardbeg Anamorphic
Another year of Ardbeg specials releases - here's their committee release from 2023, and it's called 'Anamorphic.' Each year, there's a twist on the spirit or casks used for the committee release, and they give us decent detail for this bottling: this was matured in special ex-bourbon casks. The inside of the cask was recharred, and the barrel heads were removed, heavily scored, and heavily toasted. All of this was done with the intent of creating a sort of 'mocha' profile to pair with the peaty Ardbeg spirit.
This is not age stated, and while the strength is elevated from the typical 46%, it's only gone up to 48.2% ABV, so not nearly cask strength. We do get a statement of 'not chill filtered,' which is a good sign, but there is one stat related to this release that's cause for concern: the price. It will vary by market, of course, but here in the Midwest US, the asking price is over $200 - even in the new-age Scotch pricing market, which is full of inflated prices (Ardbeg is no stranger to that), it's a bit daft.
Ardbeg Anamorphic
Scotland/Islay - Single Malt
Current Locally Available Price: USD 215 (2024)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 48.2% ABV
Cask Makeup: Recharred ex-bourbon casks with heavily scored and toasted heads
Details: Not chill filtered; bottled 2023
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time; bottle at 80% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Briny, with strong peat and some malty notes. There's an interesting effervescent character, and then we turn to baking scents: chocolate, bruleed sugar, and some sweeter caramel. There's a bit of a char note at times, as well.
Palate: A medium mouthfeel, with lots of wood char and peat smoke. Still a bit briny, and there's some pickled hot pepper flavor; dark chocolate returns, and we get just a hint of fruit from orange oil... at the end, malty character is found.
Finish: Peat smoke lingers, and there's a soft musty note; it does get softer overall in this finish, and the finish has a medium length, a little shorter when compared to other heavily peated whiskies.
Final Note: This whisky is fine, but if follows a trend that we've noticed in the last several years of Ardbeg special releases: a small change from the usual typical Ardbeg style (stemming from a small change to the distillate or casks), but it isn't quite interesting enough to justify the gigantic price increase. We did enjoy the chocolate notes throughout the experience, but they weren't overly strong, and this ends up feeling like 'just another Ardbeg,' except it costs $215.
Not a lot more to be said for value - these modern committee releases and other special releases from the brand seem to be aimed more at completionist collectors, as opposed to those actually interested in the level of flavor in the bottle.
Our Average Rating: 6.8 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 4.67
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
