Ardbeg Eureka

Ardbeg Eureka

Region: Islay

ABV: 52.2%

Price: £72.00

We’re ending the week with a look at the latest Ardbeg release for their Committee members—Eureka. This bottling celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Committee. 

But what exactly is it? According to the marketing blurb, last year Ardbeg gathered 100 randomly selected Committee members from 15 different countries for a top secret and highly scientific experiment at a secret location in the heart of the distillery—Operation Smokescreen. Unsurprisingly, the result of this experiment was that the preferred cask influence on Ardbeg was sherry, specifically Pedro Ximénez.

Ardbeg’s whisky creation team (or blenders) used this knowledge to craft Eureka—a whisky made by combining PX sherry casks with roasted malt spirit that was matured in bourbon casks. 

Nose

Initially, the nose presents notes of tobacco, ash, limeade, play dough, melted caramel, freshly baked bread, pistachio nuts, dry earth, and freshly cut grass. There’s a touch of pepper spice from the alcohol, but it’s not overpowering. Going back after some time, additional aromas emerge, including sour cola cubes, Bovril, Nutella, caramelised brown sugar, Arbroath smokies, cloves, and liquorice. The PX influence is well-balanced with the bourbon casks and the smoke.  

Palate

The palate opens with a lovely burst of sweetness—icing sugar, toffee sauce, and fudge. Ash and tobacco notes follow on the mid-palate, leading to a pleasant mix of sweetness and smoke on the finish, accompanied by a touch of sweet chilli spice. With time, a slight bitterness from dark chocolate emerges, along with mocha and Coffee Revels. The mouthfeel is on the thinner side, and the finish is a bit shorter than we’d like. Interestingly, it drinks more like 46% rather than its actual 52% ABV.

Nose (with water)

With dilution, the nose develops a bit of warehouse funk alongside iodine, beef olives, cinnamon, and a hint of thyme or mint. Water reduces some of the sweeter notes, bringing out more savoury elements such as bread, pistachios, cashews, and Arbroath smokies. That said, the sweetness is still present, though it now requires a bit more patience to detect.  

Palate (with water)

With water, the palates sweeter notes have been amplified, bringing out more icing sugar, fudge, and butterscotch. There’s also a touch more spice on the medium-length finish. Unfortunately, the mouthfeel remains a bit disappointing, and the smokiness is slightly diminished. That said, it wasn’t the peatiest Ardbeg to begin with. 

Conclusion

Does this release suitably mark 25 years of the Ardbeg Committee, or, put another way, does it rebuild lost goodwill? Well, yes and no. There’s a lot to enjoy here, particularly on the nose, which is rich and inviting. However, the slightly thin palate and medium-length finish don’t quite live up to that promise. That said, while this isn’t a full return to the distillery’s glory years, it does begin to rekindle our excitement for future releases. 

Score: 7/10

Value

As we mentioned earlier, some of the more recent Committee releases have been priced far too high. So, it’s refreshing to see a release that brings the price back down to a more reasonable level. It’s also good to see that this is competitively priced against one of our favourites Uigeadail.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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