Ardbeg Supernova

Whisky Bible Awards Ballantine's and Buffalo Trace Top Three 2011 Honors

Filed under: Spirits

A blended scotch whisky, Ballantine's 17-Year Old, was named #1 whisky in the world in the 2010 edition of The Whisky Bible by author and influential whisky rater Jim Murray.

Second place went to Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye (129 proof), and third place went to William Larue Weller (134.8 proof)-both from the same Kentucky distillery: Buffalo Trace.

Speaking at the publication of the Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2011, Jim Murray said, "Blends are seen by many as the poor relations to single malts. Ballantine's 17 proves, quite spectacularly, what many of us have known for a great many years: it isn't. A blender has the chance to create something unique and quite beautiful by putting together many whisky styles. With Ballantine's 17, the blender has done his job in glorious, quite majestic fashion." The average price for Ballantine's 17 has been $86.00, but that is likely to climb now.

Murray is hardly a new fan of Ballantine's 17, naming it Best Scotch Blend in his 2010 Whisky Bible. Giving the blend 97.5 points out of 100 this year, Jim Murray describes the whisky as "one of the most beautiful, complex and stunningly structured whiskies ever created."

Sainsbury's Dún Léire Aged 8 Years Single Malt, won Irish Whiskey of the Year, the first time a supermarket brand has gained top country honors in The Whisky Bible. Produced by the Cooley Distillery for Sainsbury's Jim Murray said, "This is Cooley at its best and a very astute and masterful piece of whiskey buying".

Last year, the World Whisky Award went to Sazerac 18 Year Old Kentucky Rye. No. 2 went to Ardbeg Supernova single-malt, and the no. 3 honor was bestowed, to the shock of many, to Indian Whisky Amrut Fusion.

Conducted over a four month period, while writing the 2011 Whisky Bible, Jim Murray tasted in excess of 1000 whiskies to reach his final decisions.

Gallery: Whiskey Bible Winners

Tags: 2011 Whisky Bible, Amrut Fusion, Ardbeg Supernova, Ballantines 17-Year, Jim Murray, Thomas H Hardy, William Larue Weller

Ardbeg To Blast Off With Supernova 2

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

First released in 2009 to wide acclaim, Ardbeg Supernova single-malt whisky sparked connoisseurs worldwide when it was named Scotch Whisky of the Year in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2010. Supernova has returned with a new limited release, set to hit retailers on May 31. For those who missed the original, the peatiness is over-the-top with the taste of Scotland's western coast lingering in the mouth an hour after finishing the dram. It doesn't seem possible, but Ardbeg master distiller Dr. Bill Lumsden says the taste this time around is even deeper and earthier, with the new expression up to 120.2 proof. It's easily one of the biggest tastes in Scotch on the market. Price is about $115.00

Lumsden is the brains behind both Ardbeg and Glenmorangie. Both brands are owned by LVMH. I have often said that Glenmorangie's Highland single-malt is an apt dram for Scottish lairds, and Ardbeg is more apt for marauding Vikings. Supernova, a brilliant expression of peaty whisky, would put new hair on the chest of Turgesius.

Tags: Ardbeg, Ardbeg Supernova, Bill Lumsden, Islay whisky, Single-Malt Scotch Whiskey, Single-malt whisky, whisky