[MM-MALTS-L] Ardbeg Supernova

[Ralph Katzenell]

Now that's surprising. I shall have to make that extra effort to get a tasting. Some reconsideration could well be in place here. But since it came out, I've been so happy with batch after batch of the Oogie, and this doesn't sound like its replacement. 
Ralph


----- Original Message -----
From: Davin de Kergommeaux 
Date: Sunday, February 1, 2009 21:12
Subject: Re: [MM-MALTS-L] Ardbeg Supernova
To: MaltManiacs operated former 'MALT-L' Whisky List 

> Ralph and all,<BR>> 
> Here are notes I got from Luca Chichizola reviewing the Supernova:
> 
> Well, I have just had my first dram of Ardbeg Supernova... Still no
> definitive tasting notes (I prefer to try it again a few times), but
> here are my first impressions...
> 
> I was expecting a wild beast, a true hurricane, a blast of peat.
> Something so powerful that it might grow (more) hair on my chest,
> something so brutal that even one sip might make weak ones faint.
> 
> Not so.
> 
> Actually, I found it much more delicate than expected. Even drinkable
> at cask strength without the unpleasant feeling of licking freshly
> laid tar on a road. Of course, with water it improves and 
> becomes even
> smoother, but it surprised me in being much less aggressive than,
> let's say, the Very Young Ardbeg.
> 
> Can you feel the 100ppm peat? Actually I think there either is a
> saturation level, or taste and smell works like other senses like
> hearing and vision: doubling the ppm does not result in double an
> impact on the palate and nose (our senses are logarithmic, in 
> case you
> didn't know). So, it actually is only slightly more peaty and smoky
> than other young Ardbeg cask strength expressions. I have no
> comparison with the Octomore, which I have never had an occasion to
> taste. But I slightly prefer it to the PC7, for example (which 
> is a
> bit astringent and butyric, IMHO).
> 
> Compared to the Very Young/Still Young/Almost There/Renaissance, I
> found the Supernova "cleaner": less organic, green, vegetal notes.
> Much more straightforward, purer, and very smooth (though certainly
> not wimpy!). Very Ardbeg, of course. Alas, it's also very simple...
> and that is its main "fault". But not unpleasant at all, far from
> that: actually better than the majority of most modern peat monsters.
> 
> Davin
> On Sun, Feb 1, 2009 at 2:42 AM, john marrinan 
> wrote:
> >
> > There's some tasting notes on Spirit of Islay for this one. 
> Gordon loves, needless to say.
> >
> > On Sun, Feb 1, 2009 at 3:48 AM, Jeff Kinzli 
> wrote:
> >>
> >> I got the card, too. I checked in with my local supplier, 
> they said
> >> $125US per bottle. So, I figured I'd hold off. Sounds 
> interesting, but
> >> I'm not sure I want a whole bottle at 100ppm!
> >>
> >> -J
> >>
> >> On Sat, Jan 31, 2009 at 10:25, Ralph Katzenell 
> wrote:
> >> > Well, I've had my Committee member postcard from Ardbeg, 
> all about the Ardbeg Supernova test launch at 100 ppm. No advice 
> or return form as to how to go about purchasing. Its a moot 
> point, as 100 ppm might be just a wee bitty on the high side for me.
> >> >
> >> > But can anyone post some notes on this?
> >> >
> >> > Ralph
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > MM-MALTS-L mailing list
> >> > MM-MALTS-L at grsnet.net
> >> > http://lists.grsnet.net/mailman/listinfo/mm-malts-l
> >> >
> >> >
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> MM-MALTS-L mailing list
> >> MM-MALTS-L at grsnet.net
> >> http://lists.grsnet.net/mailman/listinfo/mm-malts-l
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > MM-MALTS-L mailing list
> > MM-MALTS-L at grsnet.net
> > http://lists.grsnet.net/mailman/listinfo/mm-malts-l
> >
> _______________________________________________
> MM-MALTS-L mailing list
> MM-MALTS-L at grsnet.net
> http://lists.grsnet.net/mailman/listinfo/mm-malts-l