Overall rating
87.25/100
votes
8
Whiskybase ID
WB7499
Category
Single Malt
Distillery
Bottler
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS)
Bottling serie
Keith Richards meets Socrates
Vintage
05.1998
Bottled
08.2008
Stated Age
10 years old
Casknumber
33.70
Number of bottles
848
Strength
57.3 % Vol.
Size
700 ml
Added on
26 apr 2009 5:20 pm
UncoloredNon-chillfilteredCask StrengthSingle Cask Whisky
Overall rating
87.25/100
votes
8

Average value

€ 274.09

Whisky reviews for Ardbeg 1998 SMWS 33.70

2 users have left 2 reviews for this whisky. Average rating is 87.25 points.

Read the reviews
  1. markjedi1 scored this whisky 87 points Connoisseur

    Barbecue
    Who comes up with these names? This older release from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society – cask 33.70 – was dubbed ‘Keith Richards meets Socrates’. WTF? Keith Richards is the crazy guitarist of the Rolling Stones, obviously, while Socrates is an ancient philosopher from Athens. So… if they were ever to meet… this would be the whisky they would have? Anyway, I suppose it will be good? This was already the 70th cask of Ardbeg bottled by the SMWS, a little over a decade ago.
    Oh, my! This nose is very aromatic with sweet smoke, bacon with honey on the BBQ and ashes. Dark and sweet plums and dates, while a light salty edge remains in the background. Without a doubt a sherry cask. It works!
    The arrival is surprisingly soft (it is over 57% after all) but immediately very ashy and dry. Tastes as if I just put my tongue in the almost cooled ashes of a cigar (don’t ask). Smoked ham around a date, wrapped in a jacket of tar. Boy, you could light a barbecue with this liquid! Dark, sweet and mysterious. Impressive.
    The finish lasts forever and remains dark and sweet with loads of ashes and soot.
    I have nothing with either Keith Richards nor Socrates but this malt impressed the hell out of me. Lovely, sooty Ardbeg with loads of sherry influence. The best of two worlds. But nowhere to be found now. How typical…

  2. molar3rd scored this whisky 90 points Expert Senior

    Nose: Sweet smoke up front, with some honey sugars, and some hints of meat bouillon, which one finds sometimes in sherry matured whiskies.
    Palate: Wow. Ultra ashy, like putting your tongue inside a full ashtray that has not been emptied a few days, in a bar. Ashes, dry ashes, galore. later sweet sherry notes mixed with smoke, tar, soot, charred wood, and some liquorice. Yes, I know Ardbegs are usually ashy, but this one takes the ashy theme to extremes. If you like it, it’s your dram, if not, leave it alone. The sweet, sherry,winey notes mixed well with the Smokey,sooty,ashy side, there is a very delicate interplay between the two, where you switch “ashy” and “sweet” every few seconds. a delight.
    Finish : Smoke,BBQ sauce grilled meat & ash.Bottom line:

    For the lovers of ash,a heaven on earth. for the rest, forget it! look elsewhere. Overall ,Great sweet/smoke interplay. A stunner IMHO.

    http://whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/02/smws-ardbeg-33-70-%e2%80%9ckeith-richards-meets-socrates-classics%e2%80%9d/

     

     

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