Ardbeg – Kelpie (70cl, 46%)

Ardbeg Kelpie is an Islay single malt bottled at 46% vol. in a 70cl bottle. It is named after the legendary water spirits said to haunt the shallows off the Ardbeg distillery. Part of the whisky was matured in first-fill oak casks from the Black Sea region of Adygea in the North Caucasus, a type of cask rarely used for whisky maturation until now. The nose is layered, with strong peat smoke, oily dark chocolate, smoked fish, seaweed and herbs. The palate is peppery, with toffee, Turkish coffee, smoky bacon, slightly fermented peach and hickory with clove oil. The finish is very long, with clove, tar and toffee.