so i tried the Ardbeg 10...
and as others have indicated, it splits the difference between the Laphroaig 10 and the Lagavulin 16 pretty nicely (price, smoothness, etc.). That said, I'm not yet convinced thats altogether a good thing.
my initial reaction is that the Ardbeg 10 makes too many compromises and comes out a bit muted in comparison to the other two. To use (somewhat tired and corny) metaphors for male virility, the Laph is like a young man in the prime of life when possibilities are endless, and the Laga embodies the "the most interesting man in the world" (sorry, I warned you). At first blush, the Ardbeg 10 is the middle-aged striver: yes he makes good money in a demanding career and he has a beautiful wife that everyone at the office is envious of, but he is so busy trying to be all things to all people that he forgets his own identity. Perhaps I give too much of myself away...
All of that said, I know that often something will take a while to grow on you. Hell, when i was in college i got puking drunk on some clear $10 whiskey that came in a 1.75L plastic bottle. I didn't touch whiskey for 15 years, until I started experimenting with Manhattans about two years ago. At the very least, when i run out of Laph and I dont want to squander the Laga, the Ardbeg won't go to waste.. I'm sure I will enjoy seeing if it grows on me :-)
|