Ardbeg – Twenty Something 23 Year Old (70cl, 46.3%)

Ardbeg Twenty Something is a 23 year old Islay single malt, bottled at 46.3% in a 70cl bottle. It was distilled in the still that now greets visitors in the courtyard at the distillery, at a time when production had almost stopped and Ardbeg's future was uncertain. The whisky matured in ex-bourbon and Spanish Oloroso sherry casks, and some of the malts in the bottling are reportedly older than 23 years. The notes describe sweet wood and vanilla cream with sherry, roasted pine cones and chocolate on the nose, rich chocolate with vanilla pods, dried fruit and fennel on the palate, and a long finish with a touch of spice.