Ardbeg Private Cask #3409 (700mL)

Cask No. 3409 captivated Ardbeg's Master Distillers Dr Bill Lumsden as it lay in the cool depths of Warehouse 3, right beside the Atlantic. Surging with sweetness, tar and peat, this single cask is everything an Ardbeg should be and more.

The whisky's smoky spirit was distilled on Monday 18th September 2000, under the watchful gaze of Stuart Thomson, then Ardbeg's expert Distillery Manager.

Seeking to create a quintessentially full-flavoured Ardbeg, Dr Bill selected a tiny parcel of that day's spirit to be laid down in first-fill bourbon casks. Their hand-selected American oak promised to bring waves of sweet, vanilla softness to Ardbeg's peaty, mentholic power.

Envisioning an exceptional aged whisky, Dr Bill set aside one exemplary cask to mature for more than 21 years, until it reached Ardbeggian perfection. With intense aromas and a sweet explosion of tastes, Cask No. 3409 is unreservedly Ardbeg.

Cask #3409 yielded exactly 177 - 700mL bottles.

Bill Lumsden's Cask #3409 Tasting Notes:

Colour: Deep gold

Aroma: Intensely Ardbeg, with waves of pine resin and milk chocolate alongside peppermint and nettles. A few drops of water bring tarry scents and a dash of antiseptic.

Palate: Chewy and full-flavoured. Chocolate sweetness and soft vanilla are contrasted by leather, aniseed and notes of sourdough bread at the finish.

Rating: Exceptional