Ardbeg Ten Year Old Cask Strength
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
61.7% ABV / RRP: £75.00

When it comes to peated whiskies, few are as iconic—or pack quite the same punch—as the standard 10 Year Old from Islay’s Ardbeg Distillery. As robust, reliable and rewarding as it is, many whisky fans—including the most vocal and loyal members of the Ardbeg Committee—have long wondered just how epic this classic expression might be when bottled at cask strength. After 20 years of asking, Ardbeg have finally delivered, in the form of a limited-edition Ardbeg Ten Cask Strength Committee Release.

Matured exclusively in ex-Bourbon casks, just like the standard bottling, Ardbeg Ten Year Old Cask Strength is presented as nature intended. It showcases all of the distillery’s unmistakable DNA, but turned up from a respectable 46% to a whopping 61.7% ABV.

Nose: Immediate and unapologetic. Dense bonfire smoke billows forth, followed by creosote, tar and mixed citrus peel. Notes of sea spray and smoked fish soon emerge, accompanied by a faint medicinal sweetness. Bournville Fruit & Nut chocolate, hints of coconut and vanilla then appear—clear nods to the American oak—alongside ground coffee, burnt granary toast and a pinch of five-spice.

Palate: Big, oily and mouth-coating. An onslaught of sweet smoke, tar, black pepper and Sichuan pepper leads the charge, joined by coffee grounds, smoked fish, charcuterie and a touch of iodine. Citrus oil, sweet oak, vanilla, toffee tablet and digestive biscuits cut through the intensity, followed by blackberry compote, dark chocolate and old fashioned style menthol cough sweets.

Finish: Big, bold and beautifully brazen. It lingers impressively, with ash, liquorice and dark chocolate, before closing on a final flourish of smoke and citrus.

Summary: This is Ardbeg Ten Year Old in its most raw and uncompromising form—an elevated Islay icon, cranked all the way up to 11! Powerful yet remarkably balanced, it delivers everything fans love about the standard release, only deeper, darker and more intense. A triumphant cask-strength realisation that more than justifies the wait, and an absolute must for peat lovers and Ardbeg devotees alike.