Ardbeg 1990 Airigh Nam Beist Bot.2008

Ardbeg 1990 Airigh Nam Beist

• Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Distillery Bottling

70cl / 46%

Firstly, Airigh Nam Beist 1990 is a delicious vintage bottling from the ongoing success story that is Ardbeg. Sadly now discontinued due to exhausted stocks, ‘the Beist’ was an extremely popular Ardbeg, with assertive and powerful peatiness and a lovely honeyed edge. Oh, and it’s pronounced ‘Arry nam Baysht’.

A brand new version that should be steadily available from now on. Like Uigeadail, the unpronouceable name is a lake’s. Sort of replacement for the 17yo I guess… Original Ardbeg 1990

Colour: straw.

Nose: starts smokier and also much more medicinal than both the old 17 yo and the current 10yo. Bold notes of iodine and Mercurochrome, getting then very mineral (flints, coal) and nicely sour (lemon, fresh walnut skin). Goes on with whiffs of sea air and a little diesel oil, lamp petrol. Ardbeg 1990 Airigh Nam Beist Bot.2008

Further, Really sharp – great here – and uncompromising, with a ‘nasal finish’ on raw peated barley and wood smoke, with kind of an enjoyable acridness. Very different from its colleagues Uigeadail and 10yo, with no fruits or roundness whatsoever. Maybe the bad boy in the range? Mouth: extremely consistent, just as nicely sharp as the nose suggested. The attack is slightly salty, very lemony and quite peppery, with kind of a greenness (apple skin, green tea, very dry white wine). A tad less smoky than on the nose. Lots of fresh bitter almonds, a little paraffin, strong cough syrup… Petrol (not that I already tried that), grapefruit skin… It’s juts at the rather long finish that a little sweetness comes through (apple compote) together with quite some salt and spices (green curry). Excellently sharp – a great, great surprise, this new Original Ardbeg 1990!