hs305 scored this whisky 84 points 
[June, 2018] I had this dram during this year's "Feis Ile" tasting session. For about five years in a row I found every new Feis Ile Ardbeg edition weaker than the one before so I am curious if the Grooves can change this unfortunate legacy…
The first impression on the nose is very Kelpie-ish with lots of peaty, herbal and eucalyptus notes (I do not like these because they remind me of bitter cough medicine when I was young). The initial mouthfeel is warming but without any coating effect and a minor astringent feeling (heavy tannins from virgin oak). Most probably the distillery owns a lot of virgin Caucasian oak casks that provide the eucalyptus notes and heavy tannins (you know, the owners of Ardbeg do not have a bourbon distillery in their portfolio so they have difficulties to source enough bourbon casks for the ever increasing production due to the ongoing whisky boom. Consequently, they have to use virgin oak casks instead and they sourced some wood from Caucasia what is cheaper but it adds different flavours to the whisky than American or European oak. Nobody tried this before so this flavour profile was unknown so far - but what can you do else if you run short of high quality oak supply from the traditional sources?). The taste is very sweet with flavours of red fruits and dry peat. Better than the nose, for sure. The finish is of medium length and very chalky and mineral with a drying end (papers). With water the dram gets less sweet and more peaty but the chalky and mineral notes increase too, what I do not like. By the way, there is not much wine influence to detect at all neither in the nose nor the taste or finish.
Okay, this one is better than the Kelpie but still I do not really like it (I find the standard 10-years old much better, without doubts). My best guess is that Ardbeg desperately looks out for ways to get rid of the virgin Caucasian oak casks that do not fit into their standard editions like the 10-years old or the Corryvreckan because of the strong unusual flavours they impose. But the good news is, the second fill of the Caucasian casks will be much better and less aggressive, for sure...
The first impression on the nose is very Kelpie-ish with lots of peaty, herbal and eucalyptus notes (I do not like these because they remind me of bitter cough medicine when I was young). The initial mouthfeel is warming but without any coating effect and a minor astringent feeling (heavy tannins from virgin oak). Most probably the distillery owns a lot of virgin Caucasian oak casks that provide the eucalyptus notes and heavy tannins (you know, the owners of Ardbeg do not have a bourbon distillery in their portfolio so they have difficulties to source enough bourbon casks for the ever increasing production due to the ongoing whisky boom. Consequently, they have to use virgin oak casks instead and they sourced some wood from Caucasia what is cheaper but it adds different flavours to the whisky than American or European oak. Nobody tried this before so this flavour profile was unknown so far - but what can you do else if you run short of high quality oak supply from the traditional sources?). The taste is very sweet with flavours of red fruits and dry peat. Better than the nose, for sure. The finish is of medium length and very chalky and mineral with a drying end (papers). With water the dram gets less sweet and more peaty but the chalky and mineral notes increase too, what I do not like. By the way, there is not much wine influence to detect at all neither in the nose nor the taste or finish.
Okay, this one is better than the Kelpie but still I do not really like it (I find the standard 10-years old much better, without doubts). My best guess is that Ardbeg desperately looks out for ways to get rid of the virgin Caucasian oak casks that do not fit into their standard editions like the 10-years old or the Corryvreckan because of the strong unusual flavours they impose. But the good news is, the second fill of the Caucasian casks will be much better and less aggressive, for sure...
