Ardbeg – Kelpie (46%)

Ardbeg Kelpie is a single malt from the Islay distillery, bottled in 2017 as a special edition at 46% ABV. It is named after the Celtic water spirits that look like horses and can change shape. The whisky is neither coloured nor filtered. Part of the maturation took place in oak casks from Adygea in the North Caucasus, which gives the finish a note of burnt wood. It was bottled in Scotland. The nose is smoky and peaty, with moss, herbs and salty earth. The palate is oily and salty, with pepper, savoury bacon, dark chocolate, smoke and seaweed. The finish is long, with smoke, oak, light bitterness, menthol and a little lemon.