Description

Ardbeg 1998 Still Young

Ardbeg 1998

• Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Distillery Bottling

70cl / 56.2%

The second release in Ardbeg’s journey to the new 10yo, Still Young was released in 2006 and continued the successful ‘path to peaty maturity’ as the marketing types called it. A refreshing dram with great intensity.

This one has been already vatted but not bottled. I didn’t like the ‘Very Young’ too much (79), I thought it was much too simple and rough but many aficionados loved it. So, let’s see how these first 1998 ‘Glenmo’ batches behave after one more year in their casks. Colour: white wine. Ardbeg 1998 Still Young

Nose: yes, it’s more complex than the ‘Very Young’, obviously. It got more maritime, with notes of oysters, lots of white pepper and the phenols seem to be much subtler. The farmy notes are well here as well but, again, I think they got subtler. And good news, no big rubbery notes anymore, even if there’s still quite some ‘grainy’ tones (porridge and such). Rather amazing progress within one year, I think.

Mouth: a very sweet attack, just like with the Very Young, but also some much cleaner fruity notes (pears and apples) and no disturbing feinty notes anymore. The peat then takes off, together with lots of pepper. The whole isn’t perfectly ‘blended’ yet but it got much pleasanter. The finish is long and, again, nicely peppery. I feel this ‘Still Young’ is now worth 83 points in my books. How much for the possible ‘Still A Bit Young’ to come next year?