Ardbeg Ten Years Old Cask Strength (Committee Release 2026) & The Whisky Barrel Islay Younger Still Cask Number TWB1038

Ardbeg Ten Years Old Cask Strength (Committee Release 2026)

Region: Islay

ABV: 61.7%

Price: £75.00

You might be like us, gutted to hear rumours that the distillery has paused production. Today’s review, however, is a pretty special one if you are a fan of the distillery and might go some way to cheering you up. This is a cask strength version of Ardbeg Ten Years Old. Like the core range 10 year old, it was matured exclusively in American oak ex-bourbon barrels. As usual, it was sold to Ardbeg Committee members via the distillery’s website. No official outturn has been revealed.

Nose

The nose opens with bonfire smoke, flint, Smoky Bacon Walkers crisps, lemonade, and pork scratchings. Returning to it after a little air reveals peanuts, Arbroath smokies, seaweed, and lavender. There is minimal alcohol spice given the whopping ABV. Iodine, antiseptic, and dried earth round things out.

Palate

The palate opens with plenty of lemon juice, followed by bonfire smoke, ground cashews, dried wood, and earth. There is a little too much spice on the medium finish, with notes of aniseed and ginger outlasting the limited sweetness. The mouthfeel isn’t bad it’s just missing a touch of something. Overall it is quite a savoury dram rather than a sweet one.

Nose (with water)

Water brings out notes of rice crackers, tempers the smoke slightly, and adds dried roasted peanuts, vanilla, wet cardboard, and lemonade. The pre dilution notes such as dried earth and antiseptic are still present just a little in the background. The alcohol spice remains minimal.

Palate (with water)

There is a little more spice on the finish now. We are also getting more dried earth, lavender, and charcoal, alongside some sugar syrup. The mouthfeel has slightly improved and feels a little more coating now. The finish remains medium in length.

Conclusion

Personally, we would recommend adding a splash of water to this, as it gives more to the dram than it takes away. While it is a good dram, it has not quite lived up to our admittedly high expectations. We think we will stick with our bottle of Uigeadail.

Score: 7.5/10

Value

Nice to see the committee releases coming out at more reasonable prices.

The Whisky Barrel Islay Younger Still Cask Number TWB1038

Region: Islay

ABV: 61.6%

Price: £69.00

Distilled in 2021 at an unnamed Islay distillery on Pier Road and bottled in 2025 as a single cask exclusive for The Whisky Barrel. The outturn was 261 bottles. The retailer has dropped more than a few hints that this is Ardbeg, though the distillery is not officially named on the label.

Nose

The nose opens with heavy Caramac, butter, and condensed milk. Behind that there is lemon, lime, pistachios, yeast, Cadbury Milk Chocolate, and caramel. There is also quite a bit of alcohol spice. There is less smoke than we were expecting, and it carries more than a little whiff of new make about it.

Palate

The palate has a good mouthfeel, but it is all downhill from there. If we are being honest, it tastes pretty close to new make and carries too much pepper spice on the medium finish. Oddly for such a young whisky, there is also very little smoke. There is some sweetness in the form of apple and lemon juice, but little else. It is also a little mouth drying.

Nose (with water)

Water brings out more alcohol on the nose, though it remains fairly similar to the pre diluted nose. If anything, it becomes a little more yeasty. Heavier dilution helps slightly.

Palate (with water)

Like the nose, heavier dilution brings out more generic sugar sweetness and a little more smoke. The mouthfeel holds up well, but that new make note really pops on the finish now. The finish remains medium in length.

Conclusion

You might have guessed that we are not the biggest fans of this. While we could drink a dram of it, we definitely would not thank you for it. Having tried Ardbeg new make, we can say we would rather drink that than this whisky.

Score: 4/10

Value

Well at least it’s not the most expensive whisky in the world.

• 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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