Merry Christmas everyone! A nice oldie to celebrate…
This Ardbeg 1975 was bottled for the French market. Similar bottles exist: a 1975/1988 by Auxil as well as some releases with an almost identical Gordon & MacPhail label (a 1975/1997 for Meregalli for example). This makes sense as Jas. Gordon & Co. refers to James Gordon who founded G&M together with John Alexander MacPhail.
It’s really a previlege to taste Ardbeg 1975 bottled at such a young age.
A big thank you to Ardbeg collector Geert Bero who brought this bottle to the Lindores Whisky Festival.
Ardbeg 1975 (40%, Jas. Gordon & Co. 1989, imported by Auxil France, 75 cl)
Nose: very smooth profile. The typical Ardbeg notes are present (bandages, some tar, peat, camphor, oyster juice) but it’s incredibly delicate. It’s also quite fruity, with yellow apple and lemon. All of this is coated with marmalade and creamy toffee. A little wax. Marzipan. A hint of spearmint.
Mouth: a bit soft but great aromas. Almost like a breakfast whisky, showing a lovely mixture of bergamot, lemon tea and honey. Oranges. Sweet almonds. The middle is a bit less impressive (slightly papery?), but it returns nicely to medicinal and smokey notes (more smoke than on the nose), lemon marmalade and mineral notes.
Finish: smoked fruit and hints of parsley.
Classic stuff. Overall very good but the nose is the really fabulous element here!
Score: 91/100