Ardbeg Eureka Committee Release Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

The Ardbeg Committee was created to ensure a network of support for the distillery so it would never close again. 'Eureka' brings deeper meaning to that sentiment, placing Committee members at the heart of the recipe and the storytelling, kicking off a year of their 25th anniversary celebrations. "Top secret" meetings included 100 members from 15 different countries and months of experimentation in pursuit of the ultimate Committee bottling. By combining Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks with roasted malt spirit matured in Bourbon casks, the creators masterminded one of the more exuberant Ardbegs of recent times. You could describe it as Ardbeg's unique interpretation of Sherry x Islay, but to our tastes, it's simply Ardbeg as it should be: balanced, robust and invigorating, capturing one of the better Ardbeg bouquets in recent memory, and one of the more emphatic deliveries. Big peat and spice are upfront. You get barley cake, toasted sesame, bitter dark chocolate, Perique tobacco smoke, mezcal, brine and tongue-tingling peppers too. Landing at a high strength of 52.2% ABV with no chill filtration for added mouthfeel, Eureka will bring joy to Ardbeg cynics who feel there have been too many 'specials' that were mediocre and overpriced. Already sold out in some markets, it's one Committee release that rises above the hype. Tasted from a 50ml sample.

Other reviews... Well, for a commemorative version, and it's not just any commemorative version, it's a quarter-century of the Ardbeg Committee, this is a whisky with an excellent price-quality ratio. Despite the fact that it has no stated age, you can feel the good quality barrels in it. It is very delicate in every phase of tasting. There is a lot of campfire smoke, smoke, sweetness, and also a huge amount of juicy fruit, surrounded by smoke. Alcohol is perfectly integrated into the whole, it does not interfere, it actually exposes the fruitiness. I could partially compare it to Ardbeg Uigeadail, but Eureka is better for me, more delicate and very fruity. The longer it stays in the glass, the more fruity it becomes, with notes of dark chocolate. - whiskybase.com

Notes from the producers... NOSE: Full and fruity, with cherry and juicy red apple followed by caramel-infused coffee grounds and cocoa powder. Then, softened with a restrained smoke of heather bonfire and hand-rolled sweet tobacco leaves. TASTE: An explosion of sweet flavors like nut toffee with a salinity of salted crispy seaweed. Chicory and sweet cinnamon spices follow, alongside a curious drying sensation. FINISH: Long and chewy with sweet treacle toffee aniseed spice, coal tar soap, and burning embers.