This one's legendary... | Ardbeg Corryvreckan REVIEW

I've got a single malt scotch whisky from the Ardbeg distillery on Islay today. This is their cask strength Corryvrecken, and it's one of their most famous expressions. I'll taste it and give you my thoughts. Cheers!
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Scores:
0-75 - Crap
75-79 - For cocktails & people you don't like
80-82 - Not bad
83-85 - Getting good here
86-89 - Delicious
90-94 - Awesome
95-100 - Cowabunga Dudes

[@arotom]

i started this channel in the summer of 1937 , wow before youtube and internet and before you were born. talk about dedication 🤣

[@MaLiCeCoLtRaNe]

Ah, the long-awaited Corry review! And coincidentally I just had some last night! Like you, I do find a lot of batch variation. The one I just had was much cleaner and less bombastic and dirty than I remember, similar to recent bottles of the 10 I’ve had. Still, I like to keep either the Corry or Uigie around, as they’re still among the best offerings from Ardbeg, in my opinion.

[@penguinland666]

I have came back to it this year as well and for the price it is a belter of a peat bomb.

[@LBibeauB24]

I discovered Ardbeg just back in December. After my experience with scotch just neing Dewars 12, 15, and 21, Ardbeg floored me. I tried BizarreBQ and An Oa, loved them so much that I just bought a bottle of Heavy Vapours that also amazed me. My friend that introduced me to them, and shares my opinions, said much the same about the Corry that you did here. So I'll be avoiding that bottle unless its on a discount.

[@Dannykeenan1664]

Superb review, very informative and I have to agree for me I prefer the Uigeadail. Great job.

[@Gwhisky]

Thanks Danny. Cheers! 🥃

[@mtpanning]

I like it, but like you I much prefer the Uigeadail based on price/value, and flavor-wise the sherry influence in Oogie is nice too. Corry is $125 USD in my market, which is just stupid, while Oogie is 80. I find Uigeadail very minty, almost pine coney, which usually isn't good for me, but somehow it works here.

[@Gwhisky]

Wow what a price difference! They're roughly the same price here in Taiwan (USD $80-ish). No way I'd pay $125 for this bottle. I guess that $45 makes the decision easy! 🥃

[@welshtoro3256]

Good to see a new review of this one. Like you, it had been a few years since I bought a bottle so whilst I was in the outbound Duty Free I decided to pick up a bottle for my trip. I should have gone for the cheaper 1 litre Ardbeg 10. I was seriously disappointed with the Corryvrecken. Peat is a great bedfellow of young whisky but it was clear from a county mile that today's Corryvrecken is a much younger animal than it once was. I'm used to cask strength whisky but this was just hot and no amount of water could help. I don't know how used up the casks involved are these days it was so poor I think that's my last buy. Hot peat and a big Ardbeg price tag. The mystery Islays are better and cheaper. WT

[@Gwhisky]

Ok good so I'm not alone. This one has a lot of fans, but I wonder how many of them are working off of memories of outdated batches. This simply isn't as good anymore. And yes, I agree that it's too young, especially for the price! Cheers buddy. 🥃

[@Lammys_Dram]

Man, you make me laugh. 😂 great review 👏

[@Gwhisky]

Hah thanks! 🥃

[@jackthepickledhound]

Long live the king. I think Ardbeg core range is genius. The 10 is the best of Islay at a very affordable price. I previously assumed that Cory was more consistent but having 2 different cask strength options is perfect. The an OA and Wee Beastie present a bit of a distraction but, why not?... In my market the Cory is usually a bit more expensive than the Ugi. And then, except for Machir Bay CS and Port Askaig, anything else CS is 30-50 more. On one hand its just whisky but on the other, you gotta be in it to win it. Meaning, I could easily live with $50 bottle of Ardbeg10 for the rest of my days or I could be on this journey. I would like to replace my Cory as i soon kill the bottle because its an important part of the experience but not for more than $85.

[@Bowman1999]

Great review. I think Corryvreckan is my go to Ardbeg, I have always preferred it to the Uigeadail. Have not had any recent bottlings of either whisky though so maybe that would change my mind.

[@Gwhisky]

It's batchy in general, but I think if you generalize you'll find it's not where it used to be on the whole. For me, much younger. 🥃

[@barfridge0]

It was something I adored early in my whisky journey. My current bottle is running on fumes, and reviews like this make me scared to buy another.

[@Gwhisky]

Might be a good idea to seek out a sample or a dram at a bar if you want to try a more modern iteration. Realistically, you might be disappointed. It's certainly not where it once was. 🥃

[@Balkonwhisky]

Hello Geoff, Again you hit it. 2Days ago i had my first Corry for a Decade.😅 I was at a Bar and they had it on the Menu for a very good Price. So i couldnt pass it. Great Stuff that Evening. Exactly that Peat Punch i needed that Night. But.... I remembered it for beeing more complex and less hot when going down. But... I still love it at the right Time. Its a Classic and i will get a Bottle soon for my Shelf again. Thanks for Reviewing it. Greetings from Germany 😎🤘

[@Gwhisky]

Glad to hear you're still digging it. Not where it used to be, but I understand that a lot of people are still big fans. Sadly I'm not really connecting with my bottle. Cheers! 🥃

[@revolvermaster4939]

I’ve never had it and HAVE TO try it, period!

[@DeesoSaeed]

I think it's a decent whisky. Last year I got a bottle in the Berlin Airport Duty Free for less than 70€. I've enjoyed it so far but I must admit that if I had bought it at the average price in my country, which is currently over 90€, I would have a hard time to see the value.

[@wet-read]

I felt that way about the 10. Both the Corryvreckan and Uigeadail are much better IMO.

[@PezrulezHaakon]

Thank you for the review. To me Corry and Uigeadail are my favourite Ardbeg so far. I like them equally much for diffrent reasons. But the price tag makes Corry little less wanted. But here Port Askaig 100 is only $13 USD less than Corry, so I'll find it quite hard to choose between them. Uigeadail is $68, so that is a tough contender.

[@Gwhisky]

Wow the Port Askaig is MUCH cheaper than the Corryvrecken in my market, as are most of the other cask strength mystery malts. It makes the choice quite easy! I'd definitely be buying the Oogie! 🥃

[@justwhisky]

You echo my sentiments…. My first Corry in 2018 was a WOW moment etched in time. One of my top peated moments! I revisited a 2021/22 Corry and found it pales in comparison. Cheers 🥃

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah it's just not where it used to be. Cheers! 🥃

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

You're absolutely right about Corry being better. I have a bottle from 2018 and compared to the 2021 there's a big difference. Having said that, when I want a strong peat hit I do go for it. If there's a competition with the Uiegeadail it's gonna be Team Corry for me baby 🥃

[@Gwhisky]

Hah by all logic I should be on team Corry myself, so I can understand. Cheers buddy! 🥃

[@rurugby]

Also on Team Corry

[@MarioCarnello]

You know whisky doesn't last forever yeah? Over two years and it begins to degrade. Faster the lower the abv. Your 2018 is Def not the same today as it was five years ago

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

Yes I do know that, thank you. I opened a closed bottle from 2018 just to compare with, again, a newly opened one from 2021@@MarioCarnello

[@eviltrain24]

WoooOOOooow. In my neck of the woods, the Uigy is $90 and the Corry is $110. I've only popped the top on the Ardbeg 10 and Uigy, but have unopened flask sized versions of the Wee Beastie and An Oa to try. The things I've scored 83 include: Benriach 10 and 12, Compass Box Glasgow Blend, and Laphroaig 10. and like you, it's a score where I can view a bottle very warmly or coolly.

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah I like this, but it's not a buy-again for me, especially for the price. An 83 score is pretty neutral... meaning it's good, but it doesn't excite. As for the prices you've got... Oogie all day! 🥃

[@kevinnordby4808]

Great review Geoff! This one will go down in the an(n)als 😂 You are very right about Ardbeg. I haven’t bought a bottle of Ardbeg in awhile and I don’t often go to the ones I have. I prefer Ardbeg without sherry influence so I favor the Corryvreckan or the 10 to the Uigeadail. For the peat/sherry combo I really like how the Kilchoman distillate marries with sherry influence.

[@Gwhisky]

I'm a sucker for the Uigeadail, although I'm typically more of a purist. You're right about Kilchoman - they match beautifully with sherry. Nothing beats my beloved PC though! 🥃

[@kevinnordby4808]

@@Gwhisky I really like the PC Islay Barleys over the PC10 and I haven’t gotten a chance to try any of the cask exploration series. Do you have a suggestion on one to hunt for or just grab whatever I can find?

[@Gwhisky]

@@kevinnordby4808 Honestly they're all fantastic. You really can't go wrong. My favourite whisky line at the moment. 🥃

[@TheReal_DeanD]

Correyvreckan is always on the shelf in my area and just keeps getting up there in price. I’ve never had it because it’s just so expensive. It’s now $90 USD at my local stores. I’ll keep passing it by now unless it is drastically discounted.

[@michaelcriger6359]

It's $110 everywhere around me, from Oklahoma to Wisconsin.

[@TheReal_DeanD]

@@michaelcriger6359 dang man!!! I feel for you. I thought I had higher scotch pricing to deal with. How much is Ardbeg 10 year now in your area?

[@mabuelfulcar]

You make me jealous... We don't have Corry where I live so have to pay closer to 150 to get it delivered to Dominican Republic! And so you can compare... I can find Uigeadail for about 150 here, So Corry would go for over 200 USD here.... Crazy!

[@TheReal_DeanD]

@@mabuelfulcar I will never complain about Corey pricing for ver again. Very cool you live in DR.

[@michaelcriger6359]

@@TheReal_DeanD Sorry. Just now saw your question (does anyone else have very poor message notification on YT?). Ardbeg 10 goes for around $60 here. What about your area?

[@MrChristopherMolloy]

On a side note, I just picked up Scarabus Batch Strength @57% for $35 on-sale at Total Wine and More. No doubt this stuff is very young Caol Ila with no fancy casking, but it's not immature and it's very enjoyable. I strongly recommend grabbing a bottle or three if you can 👍

[@Gwhisky]

I should try it again... been a while. 🥃

[@MrChristopherMolloy]

@@Gwhisky 👍

[@MrChristopherMolloy]

@@Gwhisky Can you get the Batch Strength version at a reasonable price?

[@welshtoro3256]

I like it but there's no doubt that it's young stuff. Six years old at the most in my opinion but peat and youth are a good bedfellow.

[@MrChristopherMolloy]

@@welshtoro3256 Indeed they are.

[@graememcmaster7782]

Very funny and informative

[@Gwhisky]

Hah thanks Graeme. Appreciate the watch/comment. 🥃

[@joebruin8739]

Hi Geoff! Fairly new to the scotch world, and whiskey in general. But I’ve strongly have become a big fan of it. I’ve created a list of scotches that have gotten high and lots of reviews, including from “best” scotches lists. The Oogie and the Corry made my list. And before I go to lesser well known, but just as good scotches that you and others have recommended I would like to try these popular scotches. However, after seeing your review, I might pass on the Corry or simply put it at the end of my list, as it was high on the list. Thanks for the review. Found it very helpful.

[@Gwhisky]

Glad it was helpful. I'd definitely recommend the Oogie first. This might be a good one to sample first, maybe at a bar or something in order for you to get acquainted with it. Cheers! 🥃

[@Nikolay_Nikolov]

How the once greats fall... In Bulgaria I have to part with more than 90 euros for 0.7 l bottle of Corryvreckan. Well, I decided to not do that :) Ardbeg prices have went up by 20-ish % in the last year and while the Ten and Wee Beastie remain at somewhat palatable level, the Uigeadail and Corryvreckan are extremely hard sale these days. I can buy a bottle of single cask, cask strength, all natural Kilchoman, with age statement of 6-8 years, for less than a bottle of Corryvreckan. Not to mention Machir Bay Cask Strength which would be my first choice if I wanted young, cask strength, NAS, heavily peated Islay malt. So far I have tasted Arbeg Ten and Wee beastie, liked them both, especially at the prices I have bought them back then. Have also a bottle of Uigeadail which I'll open some day, eventually. And that's about it. As the whisky market goes I don't see myself rushing for any bottles of Ardbeg any time soon. Cheers!

[@Gwhisky]

Ouch! That's too much! It's just under 75 Euros here in Taiwan, and even then it's not a bottle I intend to replace. You're lucky that Kilchoman single casks are cheaper in your market, though. They're pricier here in Taiwan. The Machir Bay CS is a beauty! Yeah Ardbeg makes good whisky, but their prices and consistency leave much to be desired. Cheers! 🥃

[@jackthepickledhound]

Yes Cory more$ than Ugi but Kilchomans are usually another $35. They just discounted a 9 year old bourbon single cask to $125. That make Ugi a bargain at $79.

[@Nikolay_Nikolov]

@@jackthepickledhound Well, apparently in Bulgaria it is the other way around :) The Corryvreckan used to be ~75 euros 1-2 years ago and now it is over 90. Uigeadail is at least 78 euros and it was sub 65 before. Maybe the importer can't get better prices or is plain greedy. Whatever it is, I'm not paying those prices. On the other hand, some 2022 releases of Kilchoman arrived recently and prices are as follows: Loch Gorm 2022 - 63-65 euros 100% Islay 12th Edition - 64-67 euros Machir Bay CS (2021 release) - 56-58 euros

[@peathead4450]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Corryvreckan.... finally! That was about time, Geoff. Great stuff! For me the best core range Ardbeg.... at least in the (still somewhat) affordable section. As a good (as in better priced) alternative my suggestion would be Port Askaig 100% Islay. Slàinte mhath

[@Gwhisky]

Glad to hear you're enjoying it! I can't say I'm connecting with this one. Have you had any issues with batches? 🥃

[@peathead4450]

@@Gwhisky No issues with batches so far. But I have to admit I have only had a few bottles over the years and never compaired them side by side.

[@masterdad-zf9po]

I’ve always preferred Uggie over Corry. Found the Corry a bit overwhelming when just opened. During the pandemic I came back to an opened bottle of Corry. It had chilled out after being open a few years and I loved it. Go figure.

[@paulkukiel3725]

Have to go back through the anals of history to find your channel’s launch in 1937! Only a handful of pre-WWII KZbin channels left. 🧐

[@Gwhisky]

It was a simpler time...

[@paulkukiel3725]

@@Gwhisky I’m still simpler. Oh wait…I think that’s simpleton. 🤪

[@dextercool]

Corryvreckan is one of the best peated whiskies and if below $100 is very good value for the experience you get. Many overlook it because it's NAS - which doesn't mean it's all very young - it's probably a marriage of older and younger aged whiskies. By the way, Ralfy reckons that those editions of the 10 YOs in special boxes are better editions (often they have been sitting on the shop shelf for ages as well - so older stock).

[@Gwhisky]

As a general rule with any Ardbeg release... the older the better. The brand has been on a consistently downward spiral over the years imo. Even this Corryvreckan, which I think is fine, strikes me as younger than previous versions, and for me the price tag just isn't justified anymore. 🥃

[@dextercool]

I agree - my first bottle was 2019 vintage, my second from 2021 definitely gave me younger vibes. I confess I like it more than the Oogie, but only slightly.

[@SaltyCuban]

What are the “special boxes”? Different than the regular boxes from a handful of yrs ago?

[@dextercool]

@@SaltyCuban There's one in the shape of the distillery and another that looked like a metal bone shap.

[@t0evo]

Totally agreed, i prefer Uigeadail instead of Corryvreckan. Thanks for video, Geoff!

[@Gwhisky]

Thanks for watching! 🥃

[@FEWGEE1]

I was shocked by how much the quality had dropped when I bought my last bottle of Corryvreckan. It kind of reminded me of a younger, rougher, less complex, Laphroaig 10 cask strength. I honestly don't see myself buying it again. Especially considering the price has increased from £70 - £87 in just over a year.

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah I tend to agree. For me it no longer justifies the price tag. Cheers. 🥃

[@SmirGel]

Here Corry is 113€ and Uigea is 103€ :D It has crossed my mind to try Corry at some point but don't know yet when.. I am interested to buy Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength version to see how does that taste. Always good to hear your thoughts about this whisky which I have been curious to buy but just haven't got around yet.

[@alessandrovigano8149]

Not sure were "here" is but that seems like way more than it should be. In my "here" (Germany) I can get a Port Charlotte 10 for half the price and although it's different, I wouldn't say it's in any way worse (may even be better)

[@SmirGel]

@@alessandrovigano8149 here as in Finland. Standard Port Charlotte is 80€ here. While most limited edition bottles i buy are from Germany or where ever i can find them within EU..

[@MasterMote]

Hi im sure ur sick of being bombarded with recommendations of what to review, but plz hear me out, i highly recommend and would love to see u review Irishman 17. It seem perfect for your channel being affordable (if a bit high end) at around $140-160 range, and widely available(atleast in my experience). It's got an amazingly sherry profile that is perfectly complimented by the spicey irish distilate character. I think even at its price its a great deal and it's something unique, unlike anything else you've reviewed. Perfect recommendation for this channels.

[@Gwhisky]

Always happy to get a good recommendation. I've not seen the Irishman 17 here. I've only seen the Cask Strength, and the ones around are from the old line from before the rebrand. I'll definitely keep an eye out for the 17, though. Sounds fantastic! 🥃

[@MasterMote]

@@Gwhisky and to be certain im talking about the old bottling, not the rebrand bottle. I don't know if it makes a difference but i just only tried the old

[@Gwhisky]

Ah, OK. Well, regardless, not one I've seen. You've piqued my curiosity, though! 🥃

[@WhiskyWolf514]

Let's see if this gets posted. Enjoyed the review and the 1937 had me rewind it twice to make sure I heard it right. 😅 You already know my suggestion on what to review. Cheers my friend 🥃

[@Gwhisky]

Hah well at least that one got through. 😂

[@WhiskyWolf514]

@@Gwhisky That's what she said😂

[@Gwhisky]

@@WhiskyWolf514 LOL nice.

[@jtf2dan]

Currently in Canada, Corry is selling for $221 in Quebec at the SAQ, $201 in Ontario at the LCBO, and $160 in Nova Scotia at the NSLC and is in stock.

[@Gwhisky]

I'd move to a new country. 😂

[@jtf2dan]

@@Gwhisky You would be a fool then! 🤣🤣🤣

[@jonathanbean7097]

I just steer clear of Ardbeg altogether these days. I think it's safe to say my all in all favourite smoky malt is Lagavulin 16 as unadventurous as that sounds, it just reaches the magic point for me, even with all the talk about its consistency

[@DileepB]

I prefer the Uigeadail too!

[@coppullcaveman]

The oogie has always been my choice over this. I was actually quite disappointed when i first bought my bottling in 2020. It did however, open up abit better and the further i got down the bottle, the better it got. As you say, alot have mentioned about inconsistent batches (some being outstanding and others shockingly bad) I have a few bottles of oogie yet which i picked up a few years ago before the wee beastie drove the prices of all the core range up a notch (which was the play all along) Ive only recently in the last year had the wee beastie and find it much better and over half the price..

[@Gwhisky]

Agree about Wee Beastie. Great dram at a great price! 🥃

[@CameronWaldon]

Hey Geoff, do you guys get Starward from Australia there? The Nova might be right up your ally. Light and fruity, matured in ex red wine barrels, still dripping wet when they fill them. Also, Ardbeg 10 all the way! The price, natural presentation, good ABV. The Corryvreckan is good, but it’s not two bottles of the 10 good.

[@Gwhisky]

Hi Cameron. Sadly no Starward is sold here. I keep hearing about them. I'll definitely grab a bottle if I ever come across one! And yeah... I'd rather have two 10s than one Corry. Cheers! 🥃

[@asdasd-os5vk]

It deserves way more than 83

[@Gwhisky]

It's batchy. Yours might be substantially better than mine.

[@BadgerJeff]

As much as I love all Corry's (1980s kid), I tend to agree with you on Corryvrecken. It's good, overpriced and Uigeadail is a much more interesting expression from the Cult. Well done review, as always!

[@Gwhisky]

Hah cheers buddy! 🥃

[@davidowen2834]

Hi Geoff, strange, the only one of the Ardbeg core range I haven’t had, don’t know why 🤔. (Corry is over €80 here).The Ugi is still pretty decent but for me the 10 is still the best in the core range. Slàinte Geoff.

[@Gwhisky]

Cheers David. I love the 10 myself, but I've had some lesser bottles, unfortunately. 🥃

[@michaelbroer6378]

I recently purchased three Corryvreckans at 69.99. I'm hoping they were mispriced and not a lesser batch the source was trying to rid themselves of!

[@Gwhisky]

Fingers crossed they're good ones. Great price! 🥃

[@lightplays2181]

My favorite Argbeeeeg ) Slainte !

[@Gwhisky]

Glad you enjoy it, buddy!

[@lightplays2181]

@@Gwhisky tanks ))))

[@hansvaneenennaam457]

Nice review Geoff, never had this one. It is still on my bucket list (which by the way is huge, enormous, endless). I really like the wee beastie and the 10, where I think the 10 has more to offer. Until now no had a " bad" 10-er. Maybe I was lucky......

[@Gwhisky]

Many of the lesser 10 year old bottles I had were in 1L bottles. I tend to stay clear of those nowadays. 🥃

[@welshtoro3256]

If you haven't tried this yet you must have a large bucket list my friend. I've been slurping whisky for over thirty years so my advice is to reduce that bucket list. Ardbeg 10 and even the Wee Beastie are better than modern versions of Corryvreckan and Uigeadail and cheaper. Why? Well, here's my theory and it ain't rocket science. It's that old chestnut which used to matter to us in the old days - An age statement. The other common cheat is to compensate the effect of knackered casks by pushing up the abv to equate with value. Stick to the Wee Beastie and 10. They are better and cheaper.

[@MrChristopherMolloy]

I'm in the same boat when it comes to Corryvrecken, it just isn't in my rotation and I haven't had it in years. I tend to like the entire Ardbeg Core Range, and generally think it's well-priced. The problem with Ardbeg and the online community comes down to those Committee Releases; if you steer clear of those Sucker Bottles, or use better judgement when it comes to them (I just picked up BizarreBQ for $70 which seemed fair), then you won't get burned by the brand.

[@Gwhisky]

Man you'd never find an Ardbeg special release for $70 here. I suppose I don't feel as good about the brand because they seem poorly priced here in relation to other brands. I do love the 10, the Wee Beastie, and the Uigeadail, though. 🥃

[@MrChristopherMolloy]

@@Gwhisky The TEN is still under $60 here, the 5 is about $45, and Uigeadail about $85.

[@joeappleton6849]

The prices are higher than expected on ardbeg Corryvercken. 159.99 us

[@Gwhisky]

Ouch! Too much! 🥃

[@peatbull3426]

Despite some controversy around Ardbeg i still like their core range bottlings but never heard about CorryvreckEn 🤔. Dont know is this one Taiwan exclusive or there was some wee rebranding i just missed?! Are you going to review that one well known in Europe named CorryvreckAn? 😋😅👍🥂🙋🏻‍♂️. P.S. sorry i just forgot this one is 1937 version. My fault 😎

[@Gwhisky]

Hah oops. Fixed it! Cheers! 😂

[@jackhammer8439]

Amman I was a curious when I seen this video. I am a peathead and an Ardbeg fanboy. But this is not only the only Ardbeg I’ve had that I didn’t like. I actively dislike it. I have a bottle, and have tried it 10 times thinking I’d warm up. Every time I can’t even drink it. I get a massive wood spice, almost like a peated bourbon style scotch. Almost wider if it’s an off bottle. Uigeadail is my fav by far. Followed by Ardcore and wee beastie.

[@Gwhisky]

I completely understand. I had some last night and I actually liked it even less. Really not connecting to this stuff... 🥃

[@teunvanderlinden1740]

I bought the Ardbeg Corryvreckan to compare it to the Laphroaig 10 cask strength. I definitely prefer to Laphroaig 10 CS.

[@Gwhisky]

Me too! 🥃

[@bb4726-h5e]

I thought the Corryvreckan has some wine cask finishing. Am I wrong?

[@Gwhisky]

I don't believe so.

[@MrChristopherMolloy]

Have you reviewed Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength yet?

[@Gwhisky]

I did batch 14, I believe. Loved it. Prefer it to this tbh... 🥃

[@MrChristopherMolloy]

@@Gwhisky I'll look it up. Yes, it's pretty much my benchmark for a standard CS peated malt and still decently priced.

[@javieracosta3439]

I wish I bought KZbin stock in 1937. Damn.

[@xiamengbaby]

They've really jacked up the prices on oogie and the vreck. I used to get them in the Chicago area not too many years ago for $60 and $70, respectively. Now they're going for $100 and $120. I'm not buying them any more. Though i prefer the proof on the Uigeadail, Kilchoman Sanaig offers a similar profile at a lower abv (46%) but also at a lower price. For a different style of peat and sherry, Benromach has some nice cask strengths for quite a bit less $$$. Sorry, im ignoring the Corryvrecken. I honestly don't know what it uniqueltly is bringing. For an in your face cask strength peated Islay, I'll still go with Laphroaig 10 year cask strength. It's gotten more expensive as well, but not as bad as the Vreck has. I also think it's a better whisky. If i want to spend $120, i heard the Kilchoman Loch Gorme is supposed to be outstanding. I'm sure there are other better (than Corryvrecken) choices as well.

[@Gwhisky]

$120 is way too much for this. You're smart to pass on it. I love Kilchoman! The Loch Gorm and Sanaig are good bottles!

[@joebruin8739]

@@Gwhiskyin your opinion, is it worth 95$?

[@Gwhisky]

@@joebruin8739 For me, no, but it's not totally unreasonable.

[@wouterblom7569]

Hi Geoff! Unlike you, I prefer Corry over Uggie. But I have not purchased any in the past 6 years, as reviewers like you constantly warn about the degraded quality of these bottlings. Luckily I have some older bottles in my stash. But here is a question: do you actually believe this is cask strength? Because I do not. Every single batch has the same 57.1% ABV. And also, Ardbeg has this funny way of watering down their special releases to strange ABV numbers. And you can tell it was in fact watered down, as the Committee Releases invariably have a higher ABV. Hmmm… Keep up the good work!

[@Gwhisky]

Ah you were smart to stock up on the older stuff. I think you'll find a stark difference between old and new Corrys. I certainly did. As for the CS... I didn't actually look into it. It may well not be CS. Glenfarclas 105 maintains a consistent abv, and it's cask strength, but I suspect that might not be the case here. That 105 must be very time consuming for the blending team. 🥃

[@wouterblom7569]

Yes, well, 60% ABV at cask strength is kind of the selling point of the 105. I believe I’ve read somewhere that they simply bottle whenever the cask reaches 60%, regardless of the age. Hence the NAS. But whether that is actually true, I don’t know…

[@chadwallace3598]

I’m on my first bottle ever, and have to say at first try I was wondering why so many people clamored over this stuff. It’s ok but definitely didn’t understand the hype. I can say the same for the ten year.

[@umami0247]

Not a heavy peated guy. So all ardberg are out for me. Light peat is ok and of course I’m a big fan of speyside scotch. Only thing is they all need to make their scotch with higher ABV.

[@elburto5387]

Octomore is just so much better it's hard to go anywhere else for peat

[@Gwhisky]

There are quite a few brands that I prefer nowadays tbh... 🥃

[@wouterblom7569]

Ah, but then Octomore is triple the price of Corryvreckan. At least here in Holland. Not really a fair comparison!

[@DeesoSaeed]

​@@wouterblom7569Port Charlotte would be a fairier contender.

[@elburto5387]

@@Gwhisky I'd love to hear your recommendations! Future video maybe?

[@Koby616]

Cost 100 € here. Haven't tried it, think I only might try it in tasting or smth.

[@Gwhisky]

Not worth €100 for this. Too much! 🥃

[@marcinnowak3293]

Neither Corryvreckan, nor Uigeadail are not Cask Strength single malts.

[@dribsanddrams]

I haven’t yet tried the Corry. I keep getting scared off by the price.

[@Gwhisky]

It definitely overpriced imo. 🥃

[@woollychaps]

1937?

[@bdwilcox]

He was kidding. It was actually 1947.

[@woollychaps]

@@bdwilcox Ah, yes. That's much more reasonable! 😀

[@carlmartinlinder]

I fully agree. Uigeadail is far better than Corryvrecken. Still I dont think either one is something to consider. For that price there is so much else being far better (Ledaig 10, Glenturret Peat Smoke etc..)

[@revolvermaster4939]

FedEx is delivering me some today🎉🥃😎

[@Gwhisky]

Hope you like it! It's batchy, and there are definitely some great bottles of this stuff out there. 🥃

[@revolvermaster4939]

@@Gwhisky it’s a 2021 bottling, I like it, but it’s not as rich and complex as I expected it to be, the 10 y/o & Uigeadail are better IMO. Reminds me of Cairdeas Warehouse 1, good, but not a $100 whisky. Actually my first glass I had with a little water, I didn’t on the second glass and it’s much better w/o water.

[@rudranildhar527]

Your upcoming video may be Indri Indian Single Malt 🫢🤭

[@Gwhisky]

They've been busy sending out bottles. I've got one, which I'll get around to eventually. 🥃

[@rudranildhar527]

@@Gwhisky 🥃

[@allenbt11]

Absolutely zero evidence here, but it seems to me like Ardbeg is skimming off some of their really interesting barrels to blend their more unique/eccentric special releases and as a consequence the Corry, while still featuring the old main profile notes, has lost a lot its background flavor nuances. This is all just my memory, but new Corry doesn't seem to have as deep and sophisticated a profile as the old ones. And it does seem younger. Great episode. Cheers.

[@Gwhisky]

A lot of enthusiasts seem to share your suspicion, myself included. Cheers! 🥃

[@asiridesigns5344]

I really liked the 2018 bottling of this that I picked up a few years ago. However, my friend gave me a sample from a 2022 bottling. Completely different, quality definitely declined. It's astringent and youthful, and the actual peppery notes are drowned by ethanol. Add water and it breaks down. Very disappointed with Ardbeg these days.

[@SaltyCuban]

83 huh….is that on the new Ralfy scale😂. I’d hate to spend upwards of $100 or close to it and come away with an 83 bottling. Tbh I’ve never tried this one. Not even the Ogie. Now that it’s allegedly not as good as it used to be, I don’t think I’ll be trying either. I did have the 10 like 5 yrs ago so I do know how good it can be. I do know of a store that has one of those bottles prob from like 2016. But now that I allocate my money it’s either two of those or one Ledaig 18. Distilleries aren’t even feeling the pinch of those types of decisions because of the demand. With the world economy likely getting worse and inflation as well, I believe eventually they will feel it at some point. For now however I’m concentrating on buying the 15s and 18s while I still can. Barely. In the future maybe I’ll be relegated to only 10 and 12 yr olds that’ll cost $100 on avg. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Gwhisky]

Well the Ledaig 18 for me is double the quality...

[@pfalzgraf7527]

Ardbeg is a very difficul topic as such: They managed to build a fan base - and then just exploited them. My opinion. And the phase of exploitation is not yet over. Ardbeg and its prices ... The only fairly nice ardbegs that are kind of worth the price to me are the Uigedail and ... Yes. I will comment on that beneath the video you announced here.

[@sikhpilot.]

74,000 😂😂😂

[@trapperkcmo3460]

you nailed it - uigi is better for less.

[@Gwhisky]

👍👍👍

[@andrewmainprice2179]

Never tried Ardbeg as the hype means the whisky is probably sub par. Their cask strength is rather expensive and I can find better value in other spirits.

[@DeesoSaeed]

The hype was justified 10-15 years ago. The problem is the direction the brand has taken since then. Even more in the last five years. Their special releases have often been controversial regarding their value, but the core range was always one of the better in consistency and quality. Now it would seem that's not longer the case, and to make things worse prices have gone up since the pandemic.

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah it really was epic back in the day. I still like the odd bottling from them, but it's the poor consistency, the price, and the nostalgia I have for those earlier batches that makes me hesitate to buy much from them nowadays. 🥃

[@jbar6284]

Hey Geoff: there seems to be a small typo. in the name, both in your header above and on your tv/computer screen inside the vid.: it's Corryvreckan, not -ken... but maybe in your anals of golfisherism you were 'ardbegging for an 'ardbaggin'?🙃 In these days of hyper-luxe inflated pricing it's wise to drive a wind-powered 'ard bargin.

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah I just fixed it. Thanks! 🥃

[@mvv1408]

I was impressed at first with this one by the black pepper notes and in-your-faciness, but got bored quickly. It's quite one-dimensional and overpriced imho.

[@Gwhisky]

Agree! 🥃

[@jonathanbean7097]

"oogy boogy" and this are both a waste of money if you ask me, but then .. no one asked me 🤔(still both a waste of money)

[@elduderino3120]

History lessons would’ve been a lot more interesting with you teaching 😅

[@Gwhisky]

More interesting and also completely inaccurate. 😉

[@leviashby6900]

Worst bottle I’ve every had personally

[@Gwhisky]

Ouch! 🥃

[@Johnny__Silver]

I notice you are incorporating humor more and and more in your videos which is… noticeable…

[@Gwhisky]

Yup.

[@jonathanbean7097]

I don't believe that you started this channel in 1937, that is way too early. You started this channel in 1973. Stop with the dyslexia!