Review #162 & #163: Ardbeg Perpetuum and Grooves Committee Releases

Today I am going to SbS two Ardbeg Committee releases.  Perpetuum is their 2015 release and Grooves is their 2018 release.  My overall feeling about Ardbeg is that Uigeadail is fantastic, especially at $60.  Are either of these worth spending up for or should I just buy two bottles of Ugi?  

Ardbeg Perpetuum 

Islay - NAS - NCF - NCA - Sample ($130 at the local) - 49.2%

Color - Old Gold

Nose - Peat and creme brule sugar, anchovies, vanilla, barley

Palate -  Sweetness and brine, lime, medicine 

Finish - Medium - Smoke, cane sugar, salt, cured meats

Overall - 6 - This one is must more on the briney side than I expected.  It is an enjoyable dram, sweet, salty and balanced out with peat.  This is one gets better with each taste and the brininess is growing from distracting and out of balance to enjoyable.  I would happily drink this but I don't seem myself picking up a bottle (if it were still available).

Ardbeg Grooves

Islay - NAS - NCF - NCA - Sample ($130 at the local) - 51.6%

Color - Tawny

Nose - Medicinal peat, limes, baking spices - Like a medicinal tropical drink, but it works

Palate - Toffee, Peach, iodine, , sweetness, wine tannins

Finish - Medium - TCP, sugar, wood, iodine, cherry, toffee

Overall - 5.5 - This is not my favorite.  The finish has this raw wood to it that at best is distracting and at worse is bitter.  This just seems like they didn't know what they wanted to do with the whisky. I am a unabashed fan of red wine and peat but this seems like they think the red wine cask is an after thought.  The more I drink, the more won' I get on the end, but just not enough to make me want a bottle.  At the price point, I would pick up Longrow or other red wine and peated option.

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Rating system is price influenced as it is based on my shopping decisions when buying a bottle.

10 Best in Show

9 Great Dram for Special Occasions

8 Worthy of consistent spot in my collection

7 Worth picking up a bottle if in the mood

6 I would buy a bottle if it went on sale

5 I would drink it happily if offered

4 I would drink it if offered on the rocks

3 Maybe some soda will make this potable

2 I'll Pass

1 Toilet cleaner

Inclusive Ratings

Overall 6.1

Standard Deviation 0.91

Skew 0.66

Kurtosis -0.16