Barrel-Aged Project Brew No. 7 - Ardbeg Whisky - Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal

UCLABrewN84

California

3.53/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to jmgrub for sharing this one at drewone's place.

Pours a murky honey orange with a foamy bone colored head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of malt, peat, bandaids, and scotch whisky. Taste is much the same with an intense peat and smoke presence on the finish. There is a mild amount of smoke bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but the Ardbeg barrel really takes over the base beer and overpowers any qualities it may have.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 02:08:46 | More by UCLABrewN84

SaintBenedict

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

My appreciation for Islay whisky made this one easy to choose from among the brewer's other barrel-aged variations. Pours a light tawny brown with a beautifully thick and frothy eggshell head. After a few moments, the head is reduced to a thin, yet solid, soapy cap that marks the wall of the tulip glass with arches of lacy foam.

The nose is spectacular; in fact, it's the closest thing to scotch that I've ever smelled in a beer. The initial aroma provides no shortage of charred oak, assertive peat, soot and smoke, iodine, seaweed and Himalayan salt. Initially, these elements virtually choke out most other aromas that are only slightly appreciable, like a light semi-sweet biscuity malt, faint earthy hops and a few hints of berries and orchard fruit.

The first sip hits the palate with forceful smoked peat, woody oak, dewy moss and briny flavors. Surprisingly, a light fruity flavor follows closely behind; although the components of which are tricky to define at first. However, with a few more tastes and a little coaxing provided by the warming temperature, juicy berries, crisp apple & pear and dried apricot cut through the formidable whiskey character. On the back end, caramel and toffee are evident. The finish is a touch dry with a suggestion of bitterness and an aftertaste that is all Ardbeg: smokey, woody and nutty. The only thing missing is the somewhat minty note that I pick up in the actual spirit.

Brew No. 7 has a medium-full body with a wonderfully creamy texture, thanks to the moderate amount of effervescence. I was skeptical about the use of a pale ale as the base, reasoning that a darker and more robust style —like a dubbel or quad— would be better suited. However, the pale malt showcases the unique character of Ardbeg perfectly.

If you're looking for a Islay whisky-inspired smoke bomb of an ale, look no further; in my opinion, Hof Ten Dormaal's offering outdoes BrewDog's Paradox 2008 Smokehead and even their Islay cask-aged Storm IPA. Worth seeking out by Ardbeg fans.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 00:02:10 | More by SaintBenedict

Impfan

Washington

4.63/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Aroma of ARDBEG! Tastes of ARDBEG, dried fruit, honey, and more ARDBEG! Creamy body, great lacing, with an endless finish of...you guessed it...ARDBEG! Not very balanced, but if you’re a heavily peated whisky lover (as I am), this is a must try. Even peatier than the Lagavulin-aged Lee's Harvest, Ola Dubh, or any of the Brewdogs.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 20:55:54 | More by Impfan