This whisky is the third bottling in the Smoketrails Collection from the Islay distillery of Ardbeg. The collection features a series of single malts that are exclusive to the travel retail market. Each explores how a different wine casks influences the heavily peated spirit. This third edition features a finishing period in ex-Cabernet Sauvignon red wine casks from the Napa Valley in the American west coast state of California
The first bottling in 2022 was the Manzanilla Edition, which finished the whisky in ex-Manzanilla sherry casks from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain. The second bottling was the Côte-Rôtie Edition, finished in ex-Côte-Rôtie red wine casks from the south of France. This was released in 2023.
The Ardbeg distillery is located on the southern coast of the Hebridean island of Islay. It was founded in 1815 by John MacDougall, although records have distillation taking place on the site as far back as 1794. The recent history shows numerous changes of ownership from the 1950s through to a fallow period in the 1980s and 90s.
The Glenmorangie Company (now Moet Hennessy) took over in 1997. This signalled the rebirth of Ardbeg and a significant upturn in fortunes, including the founding of the Ardbeg Committee in 2000. The distillery now has a worldwide fanbase and an annual production of 2.4 million litres per year.
The Ardbeg Smoketrails Napa Valley Edition is bottled as a non age statement single malt and at 46% ABV. It is available in selected travel retail markets worldwide. A one litre bottle should cost £65/ €79.
Our Tasting Notes
The colour is bright gold with a distinct pinkish tint when held to the light. The nose is dusty, ashy and malty with robust peat smoke to the fore. Honeycomb, vanilla sugar and golden syrup sweetness combine with a red jam-like fruitiness – think of strawberry, raspberry and a hint of blackcurrant leaf. Further aromas of green capsicum, damp moss and fresh bitumen sit underneath, as does some milky chocolate.
On the palate this whisky is big, bold and smoky but with plenty of fruit and sweetness up front. Notes of pink bubblegum and marshmallow are quickly joined by strawberry jam and raspberry compote. There is also some bittersweet orange zest. Vanilla toffee and plenty of milk chocolate notes are also evident. Further sweetness is provided with notes of honey, crumbly brown sugar and butterscotch.
However, the peat smoke is the main feature. It encapsulates everything and drives the whisky on. There is an acrid, medicinal and ashy edge to it – this combines notes of leafy bitter herbs, damp moss, surgical iodine and lingering bonfire ash. A peppery spice and heat leads nicely into the finish, as does a fresh lime juice-like astringency and tartness. A final hint of cranberry oat cookie rounds things off.
The finish is long and becomes increasingly ashy, drying and tannic. The peppery heat slowly fades. This allows the red confected fruitiness and milk chocolate characteristics to especially shine. The red wine tannins take hold towards the end and this helps the peat smoke elements to grip the taste buds.
What’s The Verdict?
The Ardbeg Smoketrails Napa Valley Edition is a superb whisky. The ashy atringency and minerality up front evolves to become softer and sweeter smoke. This combines really well with the fruity and sweet elements, which are so nicely integrated. Wine casks plus heavy peat smoke can be somewhat of a lottery. Here the marriage has brought out the sweetness from the wine barrel and peat smoke. This has rounded off some of the more prickly and sharper edges of the smoke.
This whisky also offers good quality and decent value for £65 a litre. It is definitely worth grabbing next time you are through an airport, especially if you like your smoky Islay whiskies. It is a whisky that shows the level of quality available if you know where to find it.
