Ardbeg Alligator

Ardbeg Alligator was a Committee Release, and then a limited general release in 2011. The whisky was matured in heavily charred, viz. "Alligator Char" NEW oak barrels. The reviewed sample is compliments of @Nock

Nose: this differs from other Ardbegs in having a very sharp up-front greeting of smoke FUSED with wood sugar. That's one of the things which new charred oak will do, give you a lot of wood sugar. I really like it. Otherwise the Ardbeg house style of strong smoke, strong peat, strong brine, and maybe just a hint of fruit applies here

Taste: Huge flavours! very rich tasting with very sharp pointed flavours of peat, smoke, brine, barley, and charred oak; very engaging and very intense in a style similar to Corryvreckan,...but, the harmony of these flavours together is good, but not great

Finish: long finish with plenty of flavour, unfortunately this goes strongly to the sour by the end

Balance: Ardbeg Alligator has big big interesting flavours, but is not one of the more balanced releases by Ardbeg. I found myself enjoying individual flavours and features of Alligator and not the whisky as a coherent whole. I passed up buying a bottle of Alligator when I had the opportunity, and I am not sorry that I did. This Alligator is a very vivid and interesting whisky, but I consider it to be one of the lesser Ardbegs

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