Ardbeg Smoketrails

I have enjoyed all of the smoketrails and this one combines nicely and enhances the Ardbeg sweet smoky character.

Nice, smooth whisky, sweet and fruity smoke. Consistent dram.

Barely recognizable as Ardbeg. The casks of Cabernet Sauvignon from California's Napa Valley have, at best, only slightly modified the Ardbeg distillate. I certainly don't taste any pronounced notes of blackcurrant. The Ardbeg Ten is more complex, more mature, and less expensive.

One of the most dreadful whiskies I've ever tasted. While it doesn't have any glaring off-notes, it's drinkable, but only for getting drunk. It's not suitable for a tasting.

Tastes and smells kinda similar to the TEN but with a slightly odd extra layer of juicy peach, redcurrants, mocca and more pronounced leather notes. The wine/fruit notes are sufficiently integrated but the spirit is a bit young to offer deeper complexity. An easy, modern sipper for a fair price, considering this one costs around 80quid for a full litre bottle. I think its the best of the Smoketrails series so far, but also leaves me a bit puzzled. I still prefer the „naked“ ex-bourbon TEN by far. 83/100

Quite punchy in terms of peppers and wood. For me the worst smoketrails so far. The barrel seems to suppress the ardbeg rather than lift it to something nice.

It seems to have been mixed together and its aroma is difficult to define, the classic Ardbeg taste is completely destroyed. I would never blindly choose Ardbeg here, and in my opinion there is no need. For me the worst of the Smoketrails series - 07.02.2025

A fine dram, although ashiness is one of my least favourite elements of peated whisky.

What annoys me most, is that you can still feel the great young Ardbeg character through layers of blackberries and blackcurrant. Ardbeg... Why do you do this to your distillate (if I needed more reasons to dislike y'all)

Blog on www.longpouramour.com in September 2025. My conclusion: "For Islay masochists that enjoy ashes in their whisky. It is outlandish but on the other hand I do not think the Islay character is lost on this one. I have tasted expressions like Jack Wiebers’ Classic of Islay that actually are not far removed from this style. The nose is great."

As with the other Smoketrails releases, you can notice the young age of the whisky. Nevertheless, the notes are quite harmonious, and the berry accents work very well.

By far the weakest in the series. No trace of the barrel. It's not bad or defective. The price isn't particularly high, but I don't think it's even worth buying and trying. Price-performance ratio: Average, Average-good. Would I buy it again?: No.

A good smoker with a wine finish. At the moment of opening the bottle it seemed very sweet, berry. It goes well in cold weather. The finish is boring, dry, the wine is not felt. Overall a passable whisky for duty free shops

Aroma：Moderate；Palate：85/100; Aftertaste：Medium.

Another from the series where they managed to successfully suppress the style of Ardbeg whisky, especially in the aroma it is distinctly winey, fruity sour, barrel-woody, with almost no smoke and iodine. In the taste, the pungent smoke is already in the foreground but with an unpleasant combination of peppery pungency, winey sweet-sourness, green unripe peat and oaky woodiness at the end. No, I don't like this Ardbeg either.

Overall, I really enjoyed this whisky; it is a travel-retail exclusive, yet it doesn't feel ordinary. Despite being very smooth and easy to drink, it possesses sufficient body and a rich, intense character featuring interesting notes of bitterness and roasted flavors. The nose is particularly impressive imagine catching simultaneous whiffs of charred wood, salty black olives in brine, peaty nuances, dark chocolate, and coffee. It gives the impression that it could easily handle a higher ABV, yet it offers a superb drinking experience at its current strength and boasts a perfectly balanced profile. While it might not fully satisfy those seeking a heavy, robust body, I certainly don't think it would disappoint them either. It is dangerously easy to drink, so one needs to be mindful of that. I am pleased that it comes in a 1-liter bottle, which makes it feel like excellent value for money. If you enjoy smoky whiskies or those from the islands, you shouldn't hesitate to pick this up when you spot it at an airport; for my palate, it is an outstanding Ardbeg expression that is definitely worth trying. Cheers.

Place of origin: Scotland Region: Islay Producer and bottler: Ardbeg Distillery (LVMH) Category: Single Malt Strength: 46% Volume: 1000 ml Market: Travel Retail Bottling date: 06.08.2024 Cask Type: American Oak & Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Casks Batch number: US/NV 2024/03-ST Min. exposure: not specified Cold filtration: not performed Dye: none Nose. Cherry, red and black currant, blackberry, red wine gooseberry, blueberry pie (all this berry extravaganza is easier to reveal when sipped from the bottle, in Glencairn it is less intense and takes time to open up), coffee, chocolate, hazelnut, morocco, menthol, sea salt. Of course, the signature tones of creosote and tar are also present, but the powerful Ardbeg phenolics this time, as in the case of Smoketrails #1, are strongly suppressed by the wine barrel. The taste has good phenolics (although by Ardbeg standards, it is average), sweetness from dark berries, caramel, vanilla and chocolate, sourness from red currant and gooseberry, a little pepper, cloves, nutmeg and sea salt. The taste is pleasant, uncomplicated, the whisky is, as they say, light and drinkable. The following association arises: as if a drop of red semi-dry wine was added to the ten and slightly diluted. Finish: Above average. Coffee, blueberry jam, blackberry, charcoal, pepper, strong tannin drying. Summary. Not a bad whisky, light, pleasant, uncomplicated, just right for a vacation (if you like smoky whisky, of course), not for nothing is it sold in the Travel Retail segment. Of course, it will not become a revelation, just a successful example of aging, suitable for the style of the distillery (like Smoketrails #2) or an unusual surprise (like Smoketrails #1), but a pleasant pastime with it (especially if you like bright New World red wines) is guaranteed. And, according to the tradition I have established for myself for this series, I want to recommend any dark berry pie as a gastropar. Rating: 85 out of 100.

Quite intense peat, oily smoke, cotton candy, subtle fruity notes in the background. Spongy wood, braised plums, blackberry jam, pervasive iodine. Sea spray, foam, marzipan. Earthy notes finally, dry, crumbling earth. Tannins, tar, licorice. Fairly light palate, vanilla, but peppery, anise, candy melting on the tongue, olive oil. The spices become increasingly strong, cumin, cloves. Soft caramel. Quite violent, long finish, chicory, caramel, dripping coal, lots of licorice. Dried red plums. Fragments of lignite. The liquid is very young in my opinion, which makes the nose a bit lacking in complexity, and the palate is very light. Fortunately, the finish is really pleasant and makes up for it somewhat. https://ilikesky2020.blogspot.com/2025/11/ardbeg-smoketrails-napa-valley-edition.html

A solid Ardbeg, which you can sometimes get in a liter bottle for under 70 euros. Before this one, I had the Blaaaack, which is in a league of its own. Nevertheless, Ardbeg and red wine really do go well together. Here, the red wine component is subtly in the background; the Islay smoke dominates.

A relaxed smoker, at a drinking strength, but not boring. The aroma is especially enjoyable.