Ottawa, ON
June 2018
Buying something for someone that has it all can be challenging and even a bit stressful. Fortunately gifting a special bottle of wine or Whisky never disappoints so it’s often my go-to recommendation. This Father’s Day I’m recommending a premium limited edition Scotch for that special dad in your life that either has it all and/or loves premium Scotch. Make sure you check out this doozy when it’s released at LCBO on June 9th – and since it’s a limited offering with very limited quantities available at select LCBOs, my advice is to go early for best chances of grabbing a bottle for next weekend’s Father’s Day celebrations.
This limited edition release of Ardbeg Grooves is in honor of Ardbeg Day 2018 (June 2) held during the Islay Festival of Music & Malt (Fèis Ìle). The theme for this year’s Ardbeg Day was “Peat & Love”. Ardbeg Grooves gets its name from the grooves obtained after heavily-charring the former red wine casks used to age a portion of the whisky. In fact, this is the first Ardbeg to be aged in former red wine casks, which for any wine lover, like me, is a must try and certainly a great Scotch to add to your collection.
Aromas: Intense aromas of smoked cinnamon and paprika, antique leather and saddle soap, with classic Ardbeg scents of pine resin, tar and briny sea spray in the background. A distant hint of a fragrant bonfire by the shores of the distillery and, finally, an unusual savoury note, like chilli-seasoned meats. A little splash of water releases some beautiful, unexpected aromas: lavender scented soap, ground white pepper, floral and herbal notes entwined. Fresh flowers mix with coriander leaves and mint.
Palate: A powerfully salty mouthfeel drifts into sweet vibes of treacle toffee, vanilla popcorn, salted fruits (peaches) with soot and tar. Again, those distinctive savoury notes of smoky BBQ, paprika and mustard spice, fading into an unexpected haze of smoked pears and apples, almost like pear cider.
Finish: Smoked paprika and bonfires with a mellow sweetness throughout.
Ardbeg Grooves was was released today at LCBO in select stores and likely won’t last long on the shelves…As they say, the early bird gets the worm, or in this case, the early bird will make for a happy father next Father’s Day!
Available at select LCBO stores June 9, 2018 – $199.95
Quercus Vino 
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