Another retasting, so it turned out. On the sixth day of BTC, Best of Wines gave to me, a sample of the Ardbeg BizarreBQ release. The 2023 release of another slightly freaky approach to what they usually do.

More information on what it’s all about can be found in the initial tasting I did of this dram, some two months ago.

Sniff:
Orange, tea, smoke and brine. It really smells like Lagavulin, but I’ve been known to get the Islay style wrong. Some banana, toffee, vanilla.

Sip:
The palate shows the same sizeable peatiness, and a hint of tea, wood and sea weed.

Swallow:
Not an overly long finish, but a hint of slightly pithy orange again.

I figured this was Lagavulin 16, the regular one. I didn’t pick up on the alcohol, or the slight differences between the two drams. Maybe that’s why I liked it so much initially, since I’m quite partial to Lagavulin. So, with this coming in at about the same price, it seems rather justified to be asking that. A really solid Islay whisky, this one. I love the massive smoky notes, and the fact that that is not all there is.

86/100

It’s no longer available at Best of Wines, but can be found elsewhere.