Well, you asked: Glenmorangie Original vs. Glenlivet 12 Talisker 10 vs. Highland Park 12 Pikesville vs. Rare Breed Rye Old Forester 1910 vs. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Jim Beam Bonded vs. Old Tub 1792 Small Batch vs. Four Roses Small Batch Jameson Black vs. Bushmills Black
Kids are so honest! I love it. I was having a glass of bourbon the other day and my preschool age son was nearby so I asked him what he thought it smelled like. He took a sniff, then smiled and said confidently "That smells like corn!" I was both proud of his discernment and concerned that he found it TOO appealing!
Just got into whiskey a few months ago. I got a bottle of ardbeg wee beastie this week and I love it. It's got to be in my top 3 already and I've only tried 8 whiskey's so far.
As someone who grew up on Long Island in NY and spent a lot of time at the beach and the docks, the Ardbeg 10 has been one of my favorites. It has that salty, briny, smoky nose that gets me every time Reminds me of a campfire on the shore. I didn't think a mere 5 year old whisky would have a chance, but your description of it has me thinking I may have to pick up a bottle for my collection and give it a try. Cheers!
It's just about to be Halloween and I think a bottle of Wee Beastie is in order! Your review of both has cemented my choice! Thanks for the comparison!
Different scales, but there is also a mark up (and relative rarity) here in Calgary, Alberta area. Granted, I've only had a neck pour thus far, but I feel a bit underwhelmed.
In British Columbia (Duty Free at the US border) Wee Beastie is currently ~$53 USD. Ardbeg 10 is a whopping $79 USD. That's tax free, of course, but man... I miss the prices in the midwest back when Wee Beastie released. I believe it ran $40 a bottle for the 5 year. Ardbeg 10 was $55-60 a bottle. Laphroaig 10, $50. Laphroaig 10 QC, ~$70. Prices have ran wild since 2020, when I first got into peated scotch. WA's taxes are killer on top of the state minimum. I rarely pick up scotch these days, sad to say.
I love the 10. I bought a bottle of the Beastie and it was OK but lacked complexity. Then I had a dry two weeks, leaving the bottle half full. When I returned to it, I couldn't believe how much it had improved. It's now a firm favourite and I look forward to getting more bottles.
Laphroaig 10, Ardbeg 10 ... classic and simple is best. 😎👌🏼 Having said that, I had an Ardbog(?!) once that I loved, and the Lore was interesting too (‘rapid fire/no tail’ twist on the classic)
Great review! If you are peat fan, buy both. If not then the 10 is a classic. One of my favorite peat bombs is a 6 year Bunnahabhain from an independent bottler at 57%. Showing that young peat bombs can be great.
Completely agree. The wee beastie is amazing. I however get a very noticeable chocolate on the nose and taste up front which evolves into the bbq meat and then smoke. Cheers!
Sucks that the wee beastie is priced the same as the ten by me $50. But once I tasted it I wasn’t disappointed about it. I personally feel that Laphroaig 10 is less peaty than the Ardbeg ten. Perhaps a side by side is needed lol cheers🥃👊
I also get loads of herbal Note with die Ardbeg10 like rosenary, thyne and stuff. Your description of the wee beastie sounds interesting .I think I need to get a sample. Btw nice review, mate 👍
Dead on point! I always said if the Ardbeg 10 and the Uigeadail had a kid ...it would be the young and vibrant wee beastie! It’s sweet but not as sweet as the Uigeadail ...more of a luscious, black pepper, barbecue smoked meat/sweet sauce , chocolate too... just a smidge higher AVB and the price point is awesome! If I could have only one peated Scotch ...that would be it!
Always equated the Beastie to a summer night near an ocean camp site. Now this is a more unique scent, but if you’ve ever gone camping at a camp site near the ocean, people will sometimes throw their grill coals into the water near the bank and the charcoal will mix with the smell of the salt water and the mud that starts off as wet but gets baked over the course of the hot summer day. Smells just like that to me. Charcoal, mud, grass, brine and salt water, and a night breeze over the coastal waters. Actually love the beastie.
Personally, I prefer the Corryvreckan to both of them, even though it is a bit more expensive. Neither the Ten nor the Wee Beastie are in the "must have on shelf" category for me. For introduction to peated whisky I'd probably go for either a Lagavulin 16 or a Port Charlotte.
I wish Corryvreckan was only "a bit more expensive" by me. $90 vs $50 in my neck of the woods. Even Uigeadail is up to $80 now. I can still get Laphroaig 10 cask strength for $65, and so that's what I go for if I want something with some extra punch.
Got them both, and in exactly the order You said to start with the 10, and then got Wee Beastie. I like them both, each in it's unique way. I'd even say that the aftertaste of wee beastie sat longer on my thongue, athan the 10. Interesting experience. Cheers from Poland :)
Finally a single store anywhere near me has Wee Beastie in stock for like 10 eur less than 10, and I love it. Must be that extra sherry cask finish. I wish Ardbeg made a cask strength edition, would've been a nice company to Octomore.
I currently have the Wee Beastie and the An Oa. The An Oa is great, but I enjoy the 5 yo a bit more. Unfortunately my 10 yo was already empty when I bought the other two.
@@TheWhiskeyDictionary Bill this sounds like a fabulous Sunday! I had my great nieces and nephews over, the little ones, 4, 6 and 9 and we had a blast! Lots of fun heading out to have fun and spoiling them which is so much fun! Lol! Last night I had Lagavulin Distiller's Edition 2023 which I am really enjoying as I explore it more and a dram of Lag 16! It's an elegant, delicious scotch! It was a wonderful day too! What were you drinking?!! I hope Monday is fabulous! Big day on Mondays for me with work (I'm in mental health) but I love what I do! Helping people is an honour! Cheers Bill! 🙂
Wee Beastie was on very limited release here in BC, but I was lucky enough to get one. (Prices here: Wee Beastie $68; Ardbeg 10 $91) Have to say I couldn't agree with you more Bill. Love the BBQ aspect of the Wee Beastie and I hope that it gets general release here eventually because for me, this one's a "stock it". My first Ardbeg was Uigeadail. I also have Drum, Grooves, Corryvreckan and I only recently picked up an Ardbeg 10. I often say "I've never met an Ardbeg I didn't like" but truth be told, having the 10 that late in the game made me feel it was pretty "basic". Wee Beastie does beat it out for me. Although I'd be very hard pressed to pick a favourite Ardbeg, the Wee one is pretty darn good. Here's an interesting tasting note for you. I always describe that Ardbeg earthiness to people as tasting like "red plasticine"!
I did have them both together, I found I liked the Ten more. But I had only just opened the Wee Beastie and the Ten had been open a while but three quarters full. I will have to try it again 😀
Both are great whisky’s. Although I do like the 10 I usually buy the wee beastie as it’s slightly better ‘bang for your buck’. If you’re gunnna buy the 10 you might as well spend the extra few £££’s and buy the uigeadail which is far superior.
Yes I have both. And the wee beastie is very good too imo. A lot off people like it. The 10 is indeed more an intro. Price range. Ardbeg 5 is 42 euro ardbeg 10 is 48euro.. I have a laphroaig 10 batch 14 Cass strength now. Cheers men.👍 Edit Ardbeg 5 wee beastie wins.. a perfectly affordable daily scotch off high quality imo.
I've recently started branching into Islay scotches after loving JW Double Black. I picked these up, a Bruichladdich Port Charlotte, Lagavulin 16, and Laphroaig 10. I love the Port Charlotte but I might have to give the Ardbeg 10 the edge. It's fantastic! The Uigeadail was really good when I tried it at a bar and would get a bottle too.
I love the Wee Beastie. The first time I tasted it, it reminded me of P. F. Chang"s miso butter sauce on their Miso Butter Lobster Dumplings. I know that sounds weird, but that is the first thing I thought of... buttery and sweetness, then the smoke appeared after that.
I'm very curious about this Ardbeg 5yo Wee Beastie because I also started my journey into peated whiskies with Ardbeg Ten and now I feel like willing to try something different. I was recommended to try this and the Uigeadail, which is a totally different kind of whisky at barrel strength and more expensive... you have definitely convinced me to go for the Beastie but I also think this might be different enough to justify having both in my bar.
Nice comparison! I just ordered a bottle of Wee Beastie and can’t wait to crack it open! I think the Wee Beastie deserves a full on review, don’t you think ? ;)
I wish the Wee Beastie was at a lower price point, but the lowest price available for both by me is $50. It's hard for me to put up that kind of money for a 5 year old. I tried one of the youthful Kilchoman malts recently, and though it was ok, I was not really impressed with it. And so, that has reinforced my desire to stay away from young malts, unless of course they are at a lower price point.
Great review. I tried them along with you. Both are excellent, but the Wee Beastie is the clear winner to me. The Ardbeg 10 delivers a smoky delight to your taste buds, but the Wee Beastie knocks them over and takes their lunch money. ;-)
Nice battle Bill. You described the Wee Beastie like I describe the Uigeadail. Could this go up against that? Or maybe Wee Beastie is a Uigeadail lite? At half the price I wouldn't think it could compete but you never know. Cheers Bill.
Where did you find the covers for your glasses? Or are you using something custom? Love your videos, starring my journey into the world scotch very soon!
I’m an Ardbeg fan but haven’t gotten my hands on Wee Beastie yet. Have been looking forward to this video since I saw WB on your shelf last week. My only fear is that Ardbeg increases the price of their 10 once the 5 becomes widely available.
That fact is unavoidable as pre-tarrif stock is gone. Only reason a store would have Ardbeg 10 cheaper than Wee Beastie. Ardbeg didn't raise thr price, but rather filled a void created by taxes.
Great video again! Was looking forward to your verdict....Will try the wee beastie. In the spirit (yeah I went there) of your statement in the video about Ardbeg 10 being the intro to moderately peated scotch...what might you go to recommending next? Out of interest? I loved my 2017 Lagavulin Distillers Edition but I'd be very keen to know where you'd go! More great content :)
50 vs 40? I'd probably buy the 10. But where I live it's like 47 vs 65 so I frequently get the 5. Hell even An Oa is cheaper than the 10 in Virgnia. I also like the 10 better than Laphroaig but it's kind of because the 10 is LESS complex. Ardbeg 10 is just like a purely balanced peated whiskey.
Am I an idiot for enjoying Wee Beastie more than 10? The price isn't much different where I am (wee beastie is a bit cheaper obviously) but I still seem to go back to it more often.
I had a sniff of wee beastie while eating some sour cream crisps and thought I was eating bbq crisps for a second. You defo get the bbq smoke in the nose. More so when you smell it out the bottle
@@TheWhiskeyDictionary I've had a bottle of Wee Beastie and it definitely left a LONG lasting flavor of ash on my teeth. Could taste it for hours. LOVED that!
The Whiskey Dictionary Both have coastal influence, mix of Sherry and ex-Bourbon aging, and a bit of peat. Price gap is pretty large though. Maybe Highland Park 18 vs Springbank 15?
I can't imagine a 5-year-old Scotch could be good. But I'm not a big Ardbeg fan. Lagavulun is my Islay of choice. Did you ever try the Lagavulun 12-year Limited Edition? Phenomenal.
A lot of Octomores are 5 year old. And the only Lagavulin that can compete is a 12 year old cask strength. I know for a fact that 18-21 year old scotch can be, not bad, but very disappointing and unimpressive.
Yes, Ardbeg is potent. My daughter can smell it from across the room. Likewise, she must think that it smells like gasoline too from the look on her face.
Not right to call Ardbeg 10 "mellow" 🤦♂️It's one of the most punch you in the face with flavors of soot and ash you can find in any whiskey.Based on your review, I think you should try the Laphroaig Cask Strength.
every review I saw on the wee beastie has been different and not at all like what I taste and smell. It smells like vinyl, rubber, paint, chicken feed, and hay. It's awful and not even close to ardbeg 10 to me.
Not a verry good review there Sir why are you trying a10 year old scotch before a 5 year old the taste profile is completly different than the other if you had started with the Wee Beastie 5 first and then the 10 year old the nuance's whould have been aperent.try different that next time you review these Drams . and by the way way i just finnished a wee dram of the Wee Beastie.
