Ardbeg Anthology The Harpys tale 13 YO - Blogpost by Luka Gottschalk

Ardbeg has in recent times launched a series by the name Anthology. An anthology is to my understanding a line of work from the same author, in this case distillery. The theme for Ardbegs new anthology is nothing less than mythological creatures. The first release is called "The harpy's tale" and is both one of the largest eagels in the world, but also the name of a demonic creature from the Greek mythology.

Blogpost by Luka Gottschalk

Harpies, as they were mentioned in ancient myths, were described as a gloomy fusion of a female body and, indeed, an eagle, sent by none other than Zeus himself to torment King Phineus of Thrace. It was rumored that an encounter with a harpy could often end fatally and gruesomely. So there is no doubt that Ardbeg has delved into an intriguing universe! But how is the experience of this ominous dram?

It's no secret that I am a big fan of Ardbeg. Despite the fluctuating quality in their numerous releases, the baseline, according to my taste, is quite high. So when the new 'The Harpy's Tale' was front and center at Whisky.dk's booth at the event in Politiken's House, I didn't hesitate for a second to have a sample poured.

It is matured in a blend of ex-bourbon and Sauternes casks for a full 13 years before being bottled at 46% alcohol. Naturally, no chill filtration or artificial coloring has been used for this whisky. Sauternes is a region in Bordeaux, France, known for the sweet and white dessert wine that bears its name. The sweet, gentle, and vinous expression from the Sauternes casks contrasts excellently with the raw and stormy Islay character for which Ardbeg is known.

This Ardbeg smells incredibly familiar to those who know the distillery well. Notes of peat smoke, toasted oak, seaweed, and seawater are the first to meet the nose. Then, a pervasive sweetness from the Sauternes cask emerges, complementing Ardbeg's raw character with fresh fruity notes.

The taste absolutely lives up to what the aroma promises! The sweet, fruity, and floral vinous expression now takes the forefront, and the Islay character rests steadfastly in the background. Without a doubt, this is one of the most gentle and delicately balanced expressions from Ardbeg that I have tried to date. The Sauternes casks have been generous, enhancing the subtle sweet notes that typically take some time to discover in an Ardbeg.

The aftertaste is medium-length, filling the mouth with a pleasant taste of lemon zest, vanilla sugar, bananas, and, of course, a healthy dose of smoke and maritime notes.

It will be exciting to see what the next mythological creature from Ardbeg's new anthology series has to offer. This release was in no way the demonic being that the name suggested; rather, it was a gentle and elegantly approachable Islay whisky from Ardbeg.