- Raided Score: 86
- Publication: SpiritSurveyor
- Excerpt: A real desserty dram, with the finish playing see-saw with the sweet and savory yet ultimately ends up being balanced. The sulfur and salt are just barely kept in check and add complexity rather than negatively impacting it.
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- Raided Score: 85
- Publication: Drinkhacker
- Excerpt: Strawberries and smoke? It sounds interesting, but the combination just doesn’t overwhelmingly impress in the finished product.
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- Raided Score: 94
- Publication: WhiskyCast
- Excerpt: The finish is long, smooth, and fruity with a dry mouthfeel and lingering spices. Not ba-a-a-a-d!
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- Raided Score: 90
- Publication: Distiller
- Excerpt: The finish leaves you with the peat flavors and a desire to go back in for another sip. It doesn't need it, but a touch of cool water smooths out the rough edges. Not a baaad way to spend the evening.
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- Raided Score: 88
- Publication: Whiskey Raiders
- Excerpt: This is quite a ride, and one I’m happy to take all tbe way to the station.
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- Raided Score: 93
- Publication: The Whiskey Wash
- Excerpt: The mouthfeel is incredible, and the It warms you up, which eventually after sitting at the top of my belly gave me the worst heartburn. However, it was totally worth it.
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- Raided Score: 92
- Publication: Whiskey Advocate
- Excerpt: Supple and sweet on the palate, with orchard fruits and an emerging wave of peppery prickly peat smoke.
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Raided Score is a conversion from an external site's score, to our in house uniform scoring system. Please see the FAQ for more.
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Intro:
This is the annual Committee Release of Ardbeg's annual Limited Edition release. Blaaack is matured in NZ Pinot Noir casks and is bottled at casks strength after good lord who knows how many years of aging.
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Nose:
Rich bbq, sweet lemon cream, mineral smoke and burning wood. Faintly medicinal, rich with fruitiness.
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Taste:
Medium mouth feel. Bit of heat, but nothing wild. Sweet plum, lemon, mango. This pairs nicely with medicinal ash smoke and minerality.
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Finish:
Long, rich and dry. Tannic, crisp and drying on the back palate. Ashy smoke, faint pork ribs and sulfur remain.
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Overall:
This is quite a ride, and one I’m happy to take all the way to the station. Nice to see an Ardbeg CR perform well, as they seem to be hit or miss. Yum.
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Score:
7
- Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources
