Last week the time came for a Ardbeg Supernova tasting at Jekylls in Oslo, hosted by Chris Maile. The basement of Jekylls filled pretty much up and we were presented with a introduction by Chris about the Ardbeg distillery.
Then there was the tasting, first we tasted the new Renaissance before we digged into the Supernova.
Renaissance
Nose: citrus, pineapple and a nutty backdrop.
Taste: peat and salt, classic Ardbeg taste on this one. With a bit of water: more distinct smoke and tar. The smoke really fills the mouth! Then the citrus comes back. This develops really nice with a tiny drop of water.
The interesting thing with the Renaissance was after it had aired a bit: a very sweet cotton candy on the nose, very sweet! I’ve never seen this in a Ardbeg before!
Supernova
This was what we came for: Ardbeg Supernova 2001, aged on first fill burboun and sherry casks.
Nose: the citrus is there, and some iodine. Some dried fruits and the smoke is absolutely on track here!
Taste: The initial hit comes with coffee and very dry cocoapowder on the tounge. The cask strength is absolute noticable but not to a degree where it’s not drinkable. It then develops with the smoke, tar and peat that hits hard, but not as hard as “the peaties Ardbeg ever” would lead you to think. With a tiny splash of water it develops a very dry smoke on the toung, very dry, I can only describe it as a dry pile of ash. Finally the finish: long, very long! It just wouldn’t go away ( in a good manner ), so a interesting experience with this new bottle!
Supernova is released the 2nd of may here in Norway at 829NOK and I do think I’ll pick up a bottle, but you should at least have a little taste of this bottle if you get the chance ( at least if you like peaty whisky ). Supernova is still young ( only 8 years ) and I can imagine that it will be a good one after a few more years in a cask to smoothen out a bit. For now I prefer the Renaissance over the Supernova of the new cask strengths that Ardbeg has released the last year.
After the tasting I got on my bicycle and road back home, that was a experience in itself: the dry ash and smoke dried out my mouth all the way home and I had to cool down with a Ardbeg 10yo before going to bed that night.