Ardbeg Wee Beastie 5 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Get a bottle of this warming whisky so you'll have it when the weather turns chilly

Friends and my longtime readers know that I love the Islay Scotches—especially the big, bad peat and iodine monsters. Some years back, I had the pleasure of visiting Islay, where I helped out in one of the distilleries for a week, and slipped in visits to some fo the distilleries. Ah, it was Haeven on earth.

I found this young expression of Ardbeg at a liquor store in Washington, DC. I was prepared to be underwhelmed—how big can a young Scotch be? Can it compare to the famous and fabulous Laphroaig 10-Year?

Well, the Wee Beastie sure impressed me. The distillery aimed to make this malt big and smoky and it sure succeeded. The iodine note is there, as is black pepper, There is some alcoholic heat—no surprise seeing how young it is.

I’ll reopen this bottle when the mercury falls in autumn. Until then, adieu, Wee Beastie.

You can read more about the Wee Beastie at Ardbeg’s site.