ARDBEG 1976 24YO - DOUGLAS LAING - OLD MALT CASK

Now that the latest gimmick on LVMH Ardbeg promotion tour has seen the light of day in the form of a hot rod tractor, I just had to get back to the good old Ardbeg days from before marketing departments were more important than the product.

I also acknowledge that a distillery is a business and not philanthropy, so I'm not gonna start a rant on how much the industry is now paying these marketing privateers or how much it actually adds to the final price of a whisky, but my guess is its a nice percentage... Does anyone know?

But IF you like a good rant (and I know you do) Here's a recent one from Belgian blogger Ruben who runs whiskynotes.be - I think he's very much laying it out straight how many of us whisky geeks feel... Do give it a read incl. the comments other have made...

Casks at Ardbeg being hosed to prevent them from cracking, 4th May 2011 © The Malt Desk 

But back to the Ardbeg from yesteryear...

Ardbeg 1976 24yo (xx.03.1976/xx.08.2000) 50%, Refill sherry cask, 648 bottles, Douglas Laing - Old Malt Cask for World of Whiskies

Similar bottle shown

Colour is bright gold

Nose:
Very subdued peat and then lemon and pineapple concentrate, a myriad of seashore smells, seaweed, salt, wet rocks, tar and cured meats and salami and even fresh linen.

Taste:
More Ardbeggian now... starting on spicy old oak, but is still huge on lovely mellow citrus notes until the damp peat arrives in full force with dried sugared fruits. Also cardboard, old cigar box and tobacco notes, leather polish, old fino sherry and linseed oil.

Don't add water to this one - it completely kills off the overly delicious nose!

Great dram from before... well, you know :-/

91/100! ...and thanks to MBO for the sample