Ardbeg 25 Year Old Lord Of The Isles Limited Edition (2003) 70cl

Ardbeg 25 Year Old Lord Of The Isles Limited Edition (2003) 70cl

A very rare specimen these days from before the Glenmorangie / LV take over

This limited-edition Ardbeg whisky has been slowly matured in oak barrels for 25 years and is non-chill-filtered to retain maximum flavour. The nose is floral and complex, showing creamy peat, exotic fruits, marzipan and spicy oak. On the palate, more peat, tropical fruits, spicy oak, herbs and candied orange peel.

Named for the title once held by the feudal rulers of the Hebrides, Lord of the Isles is a classic for many Islay whisky fans. After 25 years in oak, it shows a mature profile with pleasantly dirty peat smoke and notes of seaweed bringing contrast to fresher flavours of ripe apples, green almonds, preserved lemons and pine needles. This expression was bottled for the last time in 2007, making this a rare sight today. An Islay icon that’s genuinely worthy of its reputation.

Tasting notes WhiskyFun.com 92/100 points

Ardbeg 25 Year Old 'Lord of the Isles' (46%, OB, 2003) Yes, that's the one in the green coffin - by the way the new bottling for the Festival 2004 comes in a green coffin too... Tastes and colours... Anyway, imagine I never tasted this one before! Nose: very smoky but not especially ‘peaty’. Or let’s put it this way: only the ‘smoky’ component shine through. A little restrained. Lots of ripe apple. Heavy peat arises after a while, though, together with some grassy, farmy notes. Mouth: bold and rich with some tropical fruit and a load of peat and smoke. Very nice balance. This is pure Ardbeg, even if I think there are some (even) better versions around (OB Provenance, Douglas Laing OMC or Platinum etc.) The ‘LOTI’ just lacks a little complexity in my opinion, but has a very, very long finish. 92 points (Davin 92, Ho-cheng 91, Olivier 92)

Tasting notes WhiskyFun.com 92/100 points

Ardbeg 25 yo 'Lord of the Isles' (46%, OB, 2004, L4) I must confess I only ever tried the earlier batches of the Lord of The Isles - I think it all started around the year 2000. Colour: pale gold. Nose: it's an easier whisky than the 1966, with more fruits and herbs and less sooty/tarry notes. Typical good Ardbeg from the years when the output wasn't hugely peated, not too far from the well-known official 1978s, only with more kick. Quite some burning grass, apples and fresh walnuts... Then hints of clay and maybe touches of curry. No monster despite the coffin it was delivered in. Mouth: starts relatively easy, almost smooth, but the peat blast is soon to happen. It's not very complex, but it's very complete (right, try again S.) with a sooty peatiness, fresh almonds, some lemon, green apples, touches of salt and a little pine resin. Gets rather more briny and kippery after that. Finish: it's long, saltier and more lemony. Almond and pine resin the the aftertaste. Comments: it's not a hugely complex old Ardbeg but other than that everything's totally perfect here. SGP:458 - 92 points.

Ardbeg

Ardbeg Distillery is located on the south coast of the Isle of Islay, famous for its rich whisky tradition. Founded in 1815 by the MacDougall family, Ardbeg has had a turbulent history of closures and reopening, but has grown to become one of Islay’s most respected distilleries. A distinguishing feature of Ardbeg Distillery is its strong peat influence, resulting in whiskies with an intense smokiness and maritime character. The distillery uses traditionally hand-crafted copper pot stills and local peat from the surrounding peat fields, giving the whiskies their distinctive aromas of smoke, sea salt and tar, combined with hints of citrus and vanilla. Ardbeg whiskies are matured primarily in ex-bourbon casks, which gives them depth and complexity. The distillery is also known for its innovative approach, experimenting with different cask types and maturation processes to produce unique and award-winning expressions. The combination of traditional production methods, an iconic location and an unmistakable flavour profile makes Ardbeg a leading name in the world of Scotch whisky

46% ABV

70cl