Bottled in the 1980s, this rare Ardbeg 17 Year Old most likely stems from spirit distilled in the 1960s or early 1970s, during the era of DCL and Hiram Walker & Sons ownership. It offers a captivating window into an earlier style of Ardbeg: warm bonfire embers drifting from a seaside campfire, gentle rather than forceful smoke, and a sweetness interwoven with soft oak, citrus brightness, and touches of lemongrass.

On the palate, honeyed sweetness opens into a saline, lightly tannic smokiness that feels beautifully balanced and mature. The finish circles back to that evocative campfire note — less earthy than modern Ardbeg, yet long, steady, and deeply moreish. A graceful and quietly complex whisky that rewards slow appreciation.