Ardbeg Dark Cove Feis Ile 2016 Ardbeg Day Limited Edition 70cl

Dark Cove Feis Ile 2016:

Harking back to Islay's dark illicit past, with tales of smugglers plying their trade under the cover of darkness, this Ardbeg claims to be the darkest ever bottled. Word on the street is that, despite being bottled at a lower ABV than the Committee Release, the festival bottling is a better dram.

Dark Cove is a limited-edition whisky released on 28 May in honour of Ardbeg Day 2016 – the distillery's open day as part of the yearly Islay Festival. Matured in a combination of ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks, this is smoky and spicy with a hint of sweetness.

Ardbeg Dark Cove is matured in ex-bourbon and "dark Sherry casks" for "The Darkest Ardbeg Ever". If the Committee Release is anything to go by (which it is), then the hue isn't actually terribly dark, but those 'dark' casks provide plenty of oaky depth. Undoubtedly a terrific single malt, there are interesting comparisons to be made with the partly Oloroso matured Uigeadail

The 2016 Ardbeg Day release. Dark Cove was heralded as the darkest ever Ardbeg expression ever, that may be a stretch but it's certainly a darn good whisky. Chocolate orange, toffee, oaky spice and classic Ardbeg smoke and soot on the nose. The palate is dry and full with peppery spice, raisin and milk chocoalte. Lote of meaty savoury elements along with bees wax and bonfire flavours. Rich and spicy on the palate. Sherry cask (partly) and Ardbeg, mmm.

About Ardbeg

Ardbeg distillery has been producing whisky since 1798. The distillery is owned by Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, and produces a heavily peated Islay whisky. The distillery uses malted barley sourced from the maltings in Port Ellen.

The Ardbeg distillery was officially founded in 1815 by John McDougall. But Whisky was distilled there long before that. There are no documentations, as Ardbeg was an illegal business back in 1794. The distillery is now owned by LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy), which also owns Glenmorangie distillery in the Highlands of Scotland. The current capacity is just over one million litres per annum and its water source is Loch Uigeadail, after which one of its famous releases is named.

46.5% ABV

70cl