Yes, I’ve not posted in a while, but it’s summer and with the warm weather I’ve not been drinking as much whisky as I’d like. We did however add a new whisky to our collection that I must share my thoughts on it, and that is, Ardbeg’s Kelpie.

Initially I thought the name was just referring to kelp, but it’s not. A Kelpie, according to legends, is a Scottish water spirit that can take the form of a horse or a bull. It preys on travelers in hopes of drowning then. Kelpie is Ardbeg’s 2017 Islay Festival limited edition release.

To help deepen the flavors of the whisky, Ardbeg matures it in a combination of virgin Black Sea oak casks and bourbon casks. If I could describe the taste of this whisky in three words those words would be: intense, oily and smoky.

Now if you are immediately put off by those words then this is not the whisky for you, but let me tell you, I absolutely love it. I am sure that is not surprising to those who follow my blog as they already know I am biased towards Islay whiskies. They simply warm my heart and every sip I take is like a giant amazing hug, Kelpie was no exception.

Tasting Notes

Nose: peat, seaweed, pepper and chocolate

Palate: oily (buttery), brine, pepper, smoke, bacon and chocolate

Finish: long lingering notes of spice and smoke

If you’ve had Ardbeg before, Kelpie has that Ardbeg traditional flavor but with the bonus of more. It is very intense and full of deep flavors. It is buttery, smoky and not for the faint of heart.

The quality to me is amazing but the price, well not so much. Even though I think it’s pricey, costing around $105-$115, I thoroughly enjoyed it and it is a whisky we own. My boyfriend bought this for me and he bought for me even without us having tasted it. He knew that with Ardbeg I would not be disappointed. With that said, if you are looking to try Ardbeg and need a more affordable option, you can’t go wrong with the Ardbeg 10 year. You get a similar taste profile at a lower cost.

For those that do love an in your face intense whisky, this is a must try. I recommend trying!

Cheers!

Note: The contents on my blog are solely my opinion. To me every palate is different! Although I may or may not like a product, I always recommend for people to try it and make up their own minds.