Ardbeg Chieftain's Single Malt Scotch Whisky 20 Year Old · 1996 Vintage

Colour

Dark coppery-amber with warm mahogany undertones

Nose

Peat smoke swirls with maritime iodine and sea-salt, a sherry-kissed perfume lifting the aroma. Dried fig and raisin mingle with dark chocolate and espresso, while toasted almond and vanilla oak lend warm, refined depth. Subtle leather and tobacco linger, framing this aging Islay classic.

Palate

Peat-forward and luxurious, this Islay stuns the palate with waves of smoky, maritime iodine and brine. Sherry richness surfaces as dark fruit, fig and raisin, folded into cocoa, vanilla and toasted oak. Velvety texture, a long, drying finish, with lingering peat, ash and a peppery spark.

Finish

Long, candlelit and haunting, the finish leans into thick peat smoke mingled with sea-salt and iodine, slowly softening into dark chocolate, espresso, and a whisper of leather. The oak bronzes the palate, leaving a warming, peppery echo that lingers, like embered coals fading into night.