My favourite right now. I think, price/value next to Arbeg 10 comes: Bunnahabhain Stiùireadair, Bruichladdich: Port Charlotte, Ledaig 10, Bruichladdich Classic Laddie.
i'm always happy when ralfy CLEARLY recommends certain whiskies (like ardbeg 10, balblair) and shits on others (dalmore etc) it helps me thin out the herd to deal with my whisky-money
Thome90 I made the mistake of buying a bottle of Dalmore 15 in my early days of whisky and each time I drink it to try to finish it off I just cringe. Horrible stuff that’s all marketing and no substance.
Great to hear Ralfy endorsing a quite affordable whiskey . A lot of the interesting whiskey reviewed is over my budget or unavailable here in NZ so nice to hear a great review of an affordable widely distributed one. Thanks Ralfy
I wouldn’t let just one person’s preferences change your whisky selections. Instead I would look at a collection of reviews to weed out the bad ones. You would never touch Talisker 10 if you only listened to Ralfy, and I’d say that’s a pretty large mistake for a peathead like myself. Use the Distiller app and look at the flavor profile to match with your prefences and then look at the user ratings and balance them with the expert rating. That’s what I’ve done and it has kept me from wasting money.
Perfectly agreed Thome90 !! I made a big mistake once when I bought a one liter bottle of Dalmore 12 year old for US$ 62.00 which I found attractive, at least compared to the prices here in Brazil. What a bad choice !! Horrible to smell and worse to drink. A sour smell of cheap "Piquette" wine, decades-old milk chocolate and a hint of not-so-fresh onion. Taste ? Something unpleasant, reminiscent of a Port wine that has passed stale and oxidized. DALMORE? NEVER MORE !!
Just uncorked a bottle of 10 yr Ardbeg minutes ago and now enjoying in a very nice flute whisky glass I was given from the upscale restaurant/bar I work at (the glass that is). This review prompted me to step back in time to revisit THIS GEM of an Islay single malt...... I am experiencing the big campfire/bonfire smoke blast this expression offers with an unmistakable sweetness in the background on my palate as I type this...... SLAINTE TO ALL OF YOU AND GOD BLESS!!!!!
TOTAL malt moment going on here as I gradually chew thru this Ardbeg 10 year. I am now so very reminded as to why I like to keep a bottle of this in my single malt bar archives.......
Two years ago I was curious about peated whisky. Looked around the supermarket and saw the Ardbeg 10. Without any knowledge, I took the plunge into my FIRST peated whisky. The rest is history. Love it forever. Although I have the Ugi and An Oa in my stash, too, I prefer the "no-nonsense" character of the A10 over those. (I'm calling it A10 on purpose, comparing it to the tough, non-nonsense capability of the A-10 "Warthog" aircraft). Have tried other brands of peated whisky, too, but ... nahhh ... A10 is, as put on the label, the ULTIMATE. Happy dram-ing!
I just tried wee bestie cause people err telling me it tasted like a campfire , I got a pelican with aids from shores of Scotland sh**ting into your glass of whisky while ur having bonfire at beach , it tasted super ocean like to me and not nearly as smoky as I thought it was going to be. Did I get a weird batch or is weebeastie just bad? I was looking for somthing that tastes like a campfire
On my first bottle of Ardbeg 10 after coming from a couple of bottles of Laphroaig 10 and I have to say, as much as I liked the Laphroaig, this is just on another level for me. The peat and freshness is just fantastic. I love it.
Davefew79 once you have tried Ardbeg 10, I doubt you will ever look back at Laphroig. I love the stuff, but something has changed and not for the better. Ardbeg though ❤️❤️❤️❤️
This was my first peated whisky and I immediately fell in love. It's like a sea side camping trip in a bottle. It's also the first whisky I've tried where I didn't have to nose it for 5 or 10 to smell something other then alcohol.
Ralfy - I'm glad to hear you've never been caught dead poncing about with a glass held by its base in the way you demonstrated! Restores my faith in unaffected, down-to-earth whisky enjoyment. I'll raise a wee glass of Ardbeg Ten to that. Cheers!
Thank you Ralfy, I complete agree with your opinion of Ardbeg 10 years old & Uigeadail. As a malt enthusiast of peated whisky for over 25 years I cannot find any better. I really enjoyed this review. I do think you are a very generous soul to share this wonderful gift you have of dissecting the many scotch whisky being produce today. Bravo Malty savior and provider of knowledge.
You never forget the experience of your first Ardbeg. It kicks you in your face with a hobnailed boot and nurses you tenderly through the shock. You can still get hints of that finish the day after.
@@502Aviation Can't say as I'd agree there, my experience with Laphroaig is that it's flat and band, like someone took peated scotch and watered it down.
I left an empty glass that had contained Ardbeg overnight without washing it. In the morning the nose was very simple: it was as if I'd had a bonfire in the glass! Seriously though, it's wonderful stuff :-)
Ardbed 10 years-old ? Best and essential in my life. The whisky that I'll take to a desert island, and not just a single bottle... No other comments needed. A drop or a boost of Ardbeg 10 years-old can be added to any mediocre whiskey and it will work wonders, turning a bad one into a pretty good dram and a good one into an exceptional whiskey. Thanks again Master Ralfy
Hi Ralfy, greetings from Sydney Australia, love your reviews mate. Just cracked open a bottle of Ardbeg 10 YO and all I can say is liquid gold!!! Just magic, your reviews are spot on.
I have never loved a whisky this much. I bought a bottle this afternoon. After trying it and forming my own opinion I watch this video. Everything you said is spot on.
Ardbeg 10 is my rock. When I need to recalibrate my senses and get back to real Islay whisky Ardbeg 10 is what I use. I frequently go through duty free shops and pick up various "speciality" bottlings but they often don't live up to their billings. Re the color, several years ago I bought an Arbeg 10 on entering Canada and it just seemed so pale, I wondered if I'd got a counterfeit. One taste put my fears to rest, can't duplicate that taste. Wonderful stuff. Love Ralfy's reviews, no punches pulled. Cheers!
Just tried a dram of Redbreast 12 with a few drops of Ardbeg 10, Ralfy you are spot on. The qualities of the Redbreast are amplified and complimented, it becomes much more toasty and rounded.
I'm probably only 15-20 videos through your backlog, Ralfy, but this review is my favourite so far; the words perfectly match the character of this excellent 10 YO (and it's pretty funny review to boot).
"A whisky you'd finish the night with, before you go to bed for deep and restful slumbers" How appropriate! I'm watching this video, sipping a dram of this very whisky, before going to bed :) I discovered Ardbeg 10yo thanks to this channel. I like peaty whiskies, and at first I was a bit surprised by the phenolic and fresh, peppery notes of Ardbeg, especially compared to e.g., Lagavulin. But now I am really enjoying the complexity. Thanks for sharing your passion Ralfy :)
When we visited Islay and stayed in the cottage within Ardbeg distillery they gifted us a bottle of this Ardbeg 10. I had had Ardbeg before but never the 10. This whisky will always hold a place in my heart now and transports me back to that cottage on the Irish sea. Another awesome review Ralfy :)
Hello Ralfy! Don't know if you'll see it but thank you so much, I wanted to try peated whisky but was not sure if I'd like it. I based my choice on this review and Ardbeg 10 is truly the best alcohol I've ever had, so much flavour and so gentle on the palate, quality and integrity in every sip, so good!
Ardbeg 10 is one of the unsung heroes of the malt world - just a rock solid, dependable, unpretentious great quality whisky that never lets you down. I love this whisky so much.
The idea of artificial coloring is so ridiculous. Like Ralfy, I have never heard anyone anywhere remark that they wish their whisky was darker. Just give it to us the way it comes out.
A while back I had a bottle of Talisker 10. The colour looked as if it was at least forty years old. Who are the producers trying to fool? To be honest I love Campbeltown whiskies, and in the cases of Longrow and Springbank, I love the slightly darker colour of the Springbank - one can actually see the extra half-step through the stills in the colour. As Ralfy said - honesty!
I ran out to my local liquor purveyor and acquired a bottle of this lovely liquid based on your review. If angels sweat, this is the result. Thank you for the brilliant recommendation.
Love the 10YO (fantastic value too) and Uigeadail. I've probably drank 20 bottles of those two. But recently I drank a bottle of the Corryvreckan for the first time and it was awfully good too, perhaps my favorite. But it's like choosing a favorite child, I just can't do it!
Uh oh... like you, I love the 10YO and Uigeadail but have been trying to resist the Corryvreckan temptation. Your comment is not helping my fiscal resolve. LOL.
@@faust451 Try a bottle! Life is short. It's about 57% ABV so, like the Uigeadail, you can rationalize that it's really not as expansive as it seems. Let me know how you like it. Cheers!
Twas also one of the first peat bomb malt purchases too. Bowmore was my absolute FIRST peated malt to have ever tried---a no age statement/no distillery statement single malt by McCllelland's in it's Islay expression. I have since gravitated towards having Laphroaig around for my peat bomb go to-------but now I need to get another Ardbeg 10 year. It is such a distinctively fine smoky single malt scotch whisky-----One of the first HEAVY PEAT malts to really chew on and one I gotta return to soon.... SLAINTE! :)
@@jesseregenauer630 A very good whiskey. Though I like it as a lightly peated scotch, which I find is not as heavily peated, or has a "smoky peat" as much as some others. I really enjoy peated Islay whiskey, as well as non peated from other regions of Scotland, but never considered this one a "peat monster", but rather almost perfect in the amount of influence that the peat comes through in this Ardbeg 10. I too need to restock the stash.
@@markmcpherson7934 The Octomores are truly peat monsters, but, as we all know, we all have differing tastes and different taste buds. This Ardbeg 10 is for me, perfect.Perfect in the sense that the peat is not oily, or like heavy chimney soot. Peaty, yes, but not objectionable, or too heavy.. I have several older bottles(purchased 15 years ago) of Laphroaig 10 and these are peat monsters to me. Today's Laphroaig 10 pales in expression to those bottled 15 years ago. But this Ardbeg just seems balanced, perfect, or nearly perfect in peatyness.Love it. Lagavulin 16 is peaty, but it's expression is so different from the octo's, Laphroaig 10, or Ardbeg, and I really like the Lag 16 .
An exciting review! I love this dram and actually after adding a little bit more water the scotch mist really formed. I am amazed by the vegetally scented smoke in the aftertaste, which always reminds me of freshly picked bamboo leaves!
My all time favorite whisky! I love this stuff, its taste reminds me of smoked BBQ brisket, which is my favorite food! It was my first step into Islay peated scotches, and it's absolutely delightful!
The Ardbeg 10 is one of my Top 10 "go to" whiskies which in my opinion has one of the highest quality/price ratios as I can get it here in California for about $46-%40 USD. I've got one of those warehouses on my whisky cabinet, it reminds me of when I visited the distillery in June 2018.
Ardberg 10, worth living is impossible without it, and without Arberg 10 your life delights have only fade colours. The best Islay affordable spirit. That is the opinion of a common old Brazilian Single Malt fanatic. Thanks to Sir Ralfy for making life so precious and exclusive. Best from Rio !
To me there’s little better than Ardbeg 10 or Laphroaig 10 on a cool, crisp fall evening next to a birchwood fire pit. Thanks Ralfy for keeping this bottle on everyone’s radar.
Its mainly the medium-long chain ethyl esters (ethanol+fatty acids) that are in the spirit from distillation that cause spirits to go cloudy when they come out of suspension due to cooling or reduction in the water:ethanol ratio below 46% abv (the point of maximum viscous synergy). These are the bad boys that give a whisky it's oily feel and carry flavour...and removed by chill filtration. It's why white (unaged) spirits high in ethyl esters also go cloudy, and they've not seen casks.
Ralfy is the Jedi Knight of Scotch whisky! Dare I contradict him but all of the info I've researched on this particular Ardbeg , and all Ardbegs, is that they are all non chill filtered and natural color... Having said that I still prefer the Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 10. Non chill filtered, natural color and 50 % ABV. The higher ABV delivers more depth of smell and taste! In my opinion!
I love love love Lagavulin. It’s my favorite peated scotch, but it’s expensive so I rarely get any. When I need a good taste of Isla peated scotches at a more affordable price, I will either go for a bottle of Laphroig or Ardbeg. They’re both so good but in my opinion, Ardbeg comes out on top between the two.
Ardbeg 10: 10 years age statement, non chill-filtered, not colored, 46% ABV, very complex taste, very strong character... Simply put, it is made for the serious, knowledgeable scotch drinkers! AMAZING!
Thank you Ralfy. I get the oddest looks when I tell people I add Redbreast 12yr cask strength to my Ardbeg 10yr. Heck, I believe RB12CS can be added to almost any single malt.
Also water, give it a decent splash, which it takes wonderfully and it mists up alright. Way more consistent than a neighbouring 10 which has lost its mojo, in my opinion, to the point that it's off my shopping list. That's a source of great sorrow for me as I grew up sipping that neighbouring 10, they should take a leaf out of Ardbeg's consistency book.
Ardbeg 10 is the only "standard" bottling I still buy in supermarkets. £37 on offer is hard to sniff at when it comes to a consistent integrity malt such as this.
Would have thought this was into the 90s, maybe I'm young and have a hell of a lot more whisky to drink but this is by far my all time favourite whisky
I'm a fledgling whiskey lover, who has recently matured into appreciating Islay single malts and has Laphroaig 10, Ardbeg 10 and Ardbeg Uigaedail in the collection. I simply love their complexity and the magic that happens once you pour some in your glass... aah the changes in smell and taste. You can spend so much quality time with them. I must confess that I am sort of hypnotized and come back from work everyday as if they are calling me :D
That's exactly the way I was after my first experiences, I was trying to get done with work as fast as I could to get home and drink some. I swear I was going through the day able to smell the smoke and peat while I was working. Not sure if some remnants of the smoke hangs on the nose hairs or something?
Bought my first Ardbeg 10 in 2003 shortly after the distillery re-opened. It was £18 for a bottle in my local Tesco. My current bottle tastes exactly the same as I remember it did back then.
At the beginning of my scotch journey, I tried Islay and could do it. Today a year later, Ardbeg is home to me. Perfection takes time, don’t give up on exploring the regions.
I'm very new to whisky. Started out with offerings from Nikka and Suntory last year, and managed to have them last until recently. I'd been curious about peated whisky for a while and bought a bottle of Ardbeg 10 today as an early birthday present to myself. I love it. Much gentler in the mouth than the nose lets on, but not lacking in flavor at all, and the peat aftertaste lingers for so long. Gonna be coming back to this for a long time.
Ardbeg is in fact non-chill filtered, if I’m not mistaken. I do get a lil’ scotch mist when I add water. Edit: I noticed you nuanced your vision at the end.
Ralfy, Thanks alot for your awesome down to earth real malty malt reviews! I am fairly new to the scotch world, but really enjoy Laphroaig 10 CS, and Compass Box No Name, and after watching this review, I cant wait to get a bottle of Ardbeg 10. Thanks being such a great dude! Review 775...holy malt mate!
If you "really enjoy" the Laphroaig 10 CS you need to go straight to the Ardbeg Corryvrecken. I've done both these Scotches side by side and the Corryvrecken is the only Ardbeg that can hold its own with such high ABV (57.1% Corryvrecken). Love them both... drink the Laphroaig CS last as it is a pallet wrecker! Cheers!
@ralfy , I have to say as a person who works in hospitality it is very useful to hold from the base sometimes and is a remnant of trying to hold as many glasses as you can. Well at least for me! I sadly will keep holding it this way😝 thanks for your class, slainté!
I like the colour of the one I cracked open it’s a yellowish green colour love the authenticity! This is the my first Ardbeg and I just love the complexity, I get a real off mossy stinky river smell with compost on the nose but behind there is fresh grass and barbecues. As for the taste well very complex I can’t even begin, whatever I’m tasty it sure is good.
Hello Ralfy!...another great vid review of my all time favorite whisky. Interesting comments on the possible filtering despite the claim on the label. Thank you!
Excellent and timely re-review of a classic whisky and former Ralfy Whisky Of The Year if my memory serves me well. Ardbeg have been pissing about quite a bit the last few years but the 10 remains a solid and delicious dram. I like the gooseberry and mezcal notes. Enjoyed the cockerel in the background which reminds me of my pad in Andalucia. Recently bought the Benromach 9 year U.K exclusive single barrel and that is a scotch mist monster, so much so that it makes me wonder about the whole issue of filtering. Cheers Ralfy (thanks for the pin). WT
Only recently have I started to take drinking whiskey more seriously and I am thoroughly enjoying learning with you. This is the first time I've tasted ardbeg and as soon as you said banana I was like yes that's exactly what I couldn't put my finger on. I'll be watching the ledaig 10 next as I have an unopened bottle of that one too. Thanks ralfy for your videos. Long may they continue. Happy New Year
I got me one of those "warehouses" (price was good). And then I saw another one with a man rolling a cask and a dog! So I had to have that one also. Price was still good. I'd never pay extra for such a gimmick but it does make a great decoration for the whisky library :-)
Another fancy box/tin for my beloved who doesn't give a hoot about the bottling, only clever packaging. Of course I'm perfectly happy to share the contents with my malt-mates providing they're age stated and of decent quality for a reasonable price.
Needed a new Islay as the cold New England nights settle in. Just finished a Laphroaig quarter cask and 10 year old from last fall and the bitter end of an ardbeg 10. Using your reviews as my compass chose Ardbeg 10 over the others. Do feel the Laphroaig's are still top notch but have wavered recently. This new bottle is fantastic and consistency as you say is definitely paramount for malt mates spending dollars.
Just picked up an Arbeg 10 and on the drive home though perhaps I should have gone with a Laphroaig 10 year. This review has been very reassuring. I'm looking forward to sipping this tonight. Cheers!
Dear Ralfy I was very surprised to hear you say you consider Uigeadail to be a good dram... I think by the end of 2017 it was rubbish as if they kind of sucked out the complexity and depth from it. I was more then happy to replace it with Kilchoman Loch Gorm... it for some reason you haven’t tried it please do. Anyway I loved your livestream with Roy and I hope you are proud with what you started! You are the pioneer and because of you there are so many channels out there that try to help people make the right choices when it comes to buying whisky(at least that’s what I’m trying to do) Cheers malt mate!
My review of Ardbeg 10 Nose: Heavy minty peat smoke in sea mist & tanned leather, hints of Scotch heather settling into a light chocolate-vanilla syrup & Irish moss on cast-iron-reduced tree fruit Palate: Smoked dark fruits & charred berries with a citrus squeeze, fresh baseball glove leather, ancient wood, cacao nibs giving way to ginger snaps Aftertaste: Oak, clove & spices, black pepper, natural rope, aged leather with cigar tobacco
Gosh, you really sounded serious with the Ardbeg. I'm right there with you. Any Scotch or Irish whisky would benefit from a splash of Ardbeg or Laphroiag! Here's a recommendation for a new review. John Barr! You're welcome.
Ralfy: I tasted Arbeg 10 on a trip to NYC, I loved it but Laphoaig 10 is more inexpensive in my corner of the Ozarks. I will look for Arbeg 10 soon and see how it lines up price wise.
Just got my first bottle. Reminds me a bit of my favourite dessert, lemon cheesecake. Very delicious and complex. Still not overpriced, at least where I am. Could easily buy this again.
Ardbeg 10 taught me something, which is that just because a whisky is especially “good” doesn’t mean I will like it. It is very heavily peated and medicinal in taste. Now I know that Ardbeg 10 is in the top left corner of the whiskey taste map. (See the RU-vid video by First Phil Whiskey about the different whisky regions, in which this taste map is shown at 11:41.) The flavor is extreme, and in the wrong direction for me. Wish I had bought Glenfiddich instead. But, to each their own. Everyone’s sense of taste and what they like is different, and that is all fine and well.
@@user-ky9uc6wm4g ahaha I am just having a dram of Jura 12 ans was looking for and at your solera video. I am thinking about starting it myself, could use the jura for it because the bottle is freshly opened but I am already bored with it... I am just regretting now I didn't keep Scapa Skiren and some Glenlivet 12 to make this solera bottle... Wanted to tell you, as a wine lover and a relatively new member of the whisky world, my nose and palate are pretty demanding and most standard whisky are from the start extremely boring to me. I mean, I often read "this whisky is good for beginners / I would advice that for beginners..." I was ofetn wondering : what am I beginning anyway ? I just want to "begin" whisky, I just want to drink whisky from time to time... anyway, "beginners" doest mean much in my humble opinion. I don't think my taste is the same as the next door beginner for example. Just food for thoughts for a next vid maybe. Cheers Ralfy!!
The answer is most probably customer segmentation. From the business point of view, Glenmorangie has a different segment of customers. There are more whisky amateurs and occasional fine whisky drinkers and they would not be that happy about a "dull coloured and hazy" glass of whisky. On the other hand, customers buying something like Ardbeg Ten are more likely experienced whisky enthusiasts well aware of what they are looking for and what they are going to get. So such a decision may be not good for whisky experts but would look wise from a business owners perspective. I hope this makes some sense.
I enjoy adding a drop to a very generous amount of water to ardbeg depending on my mood. The water seems to reduce the ABV but not the flavor. (Too much water in a bourbon can very easily ruin them for me.) Also blending a small amount ardbeg with other scotch has work out well. I'm out of Irish whiskey at the moment, but I'm looking forward to trying rally's recommendation.
