Ardbeg 14 yo Anthology - The Unicorn's Tale

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 46% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

The Unicorn's Tale is the second release in the Ardbeg Anthology. This 14-year-old single malt brings together whisky from Madeira and bourbon casks. The Madeira casks add a fruity sweetness alongside the powerful smoke. The edition takes its name from a mysterious encounter on the distillery grounds, where staff thought they had seen a unicorn.

Banana bread and sweet syrup pastries sit alongside burning cedarwood; a little water brings out tropical fruit. On the palate, lime and peach mingle with smoked fruit, malt and spice, while tarry and medicinal notes deepen the smoky character. Menthol, clove, woodsmoke and camphor linger in the long finish. The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV without chill filtration.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose offers banana bread, sweet syrup pastries and dark sugar syrup alongside burning cedarwood. A little water brings out tropical fruit; eucalyptus and aromatic smoke are present too.
• Palate: On the palate, lime and sweet peach meet smoked fruit and baked bread. Soft barley malt mingles with anise, nutmeg and peat smoke; medicinal lozenges and creosote-like notes add a bitter edge.
• Finish: The long finish remains smoky, with lingering menthol, clove, woodsmoke and camphor.

Distillery/Bottler:

John Macdougall licensed Ardbeg as a commercial distillery on Islay's south coast in 1815. After periods of closure, production resumed in 1997 under The Glenmorangie Company. Today, Ardbeg belongs to LVMH through Moët Hennessy.

For its regular whisky production, the distillery uses peat-smoked malt and Oregon pine washbacks. A purifier on the spirit still returns heavier vapours for further distillation. This approach helps explain how Ardbeg can develop fruity and sweet notes alongside pronounced smoke; the Madeira casks, by contrast, are a distinctive feature of this Anthology edition.

Facts: