Ardbeg Samaroli LC 70CL

This Ardbeg, bottled through Samaroli at 59.0% ABV exclusively for Le Clos, pairs one of Islay's most fiercely peated distilleries with one of Italy's most respected independent bottlers. Ardbeg, based on Islay's south coast, is renowned among peat enthusiasts for a house style that leans intensely smoky and medicinal even by Islay standards, while Samaroli has built a reputation over decades for selecting exceptional casks and bottling them at high strength with minimal intervention. At 59.0% ABV, this release retains real power and concentration, delivering Ardbeg's signature profile with added intensity. Expect a nose of thick, tarry peat smoke, iodine, and brine, with sweeter notes of vanilla and citrus fighting for space beneath the smoke. The palate follows with a powerful hit of peat and maritime salinity, balanced by an underlying sweetness — think burnt caramel and lemon — that keeps the whisky from becoming one-dimensional despite its intensity. The finish is long, smoky, and warming, with the high ABV extending both length and complexity. A small amount of water is recommended to fully open the aromatics without losing the whisky's characteristic power. This is a serious dram for committed peat lovers and Islay collectors, and its Samaroli provenance adds a further layer of appeal for independent-bottling enthusiasts.