Ardbeg Wee Beastie 5 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

let’s begin

A new addition to Ardbeg’s core range, Wee Beastie is yet another brilliant release from the Islay distillery.

Beastly Drams

Not to be confused with Douglas Laing’s Timorous Beastie (an ode to Scottish poet Robert Burns), Wee Beastie is a relatively young dram that is packed with Ardbeg’s tell-tale peated notes. You couldn’t expect anything less from the proud Islay distillers. This, combined with the Oloroso sherry and ex-Bourbon maturation, makes for a characterful dram.

This is the youngest dram in Ardbeg’s range, with their signature 10 year old coming in next. This gives Wee Beastie a nice edge and a really fresh flavour profile. Ardbeg have been putting out no age statement malts for a while now, having been faced with whisky shortages due to increasing demand. Wee Beastie heralds a turn around for the brand and is exciting to see. They also released a new member of their core range last year with a gap of eight years before that.

It was released by parent company Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy internationally before being brought home to the shores of the UK. And we’re glad they finally did.

TASTING NOTES FOR ARDBEG WEE BEASTIE 5 YEAR OLD ISLAY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

Bottle cost: £36.95

The nose is full of thick peat smoke and a wonderful herbal note. Thyme, rosemary and fresh mint come through, giving it a lovely earthy start. There is a rich bitterness next, with dark chocolate and coffee. Hints of orchard fruits give it a nice crispness to bounce off the tangy smoke.

The palate is brimming with seaside notes of tar, iodine and salt. It is a very meaty dram, with cured hams and charcuterie appearing. The iodine brings in slightly antiseptic notes and the mint from the nose is refreshing and cooling. Peat smoke wafts throughout.

The finish is long and lingers on peat smoke and honey glazed ham.

Wee Beastie is anything but wee in terms of flavour. It is bright, bold and big. The youthfulness of the dram gives it a wonderful edge and it is an excellent addition to Ardbeg’s core range.

Have you tried Wee Beastie yet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Tags: 5 Year OldArdbeg WeeBeastieIslayScotch WhiskySingle Malt

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.