John’s birthday falls on a Friday and to celebrate; I scheduled one of the peatiest whiskies in our collection as our Whisky of the Week. This week we try the Ardbeg Supernova 2009 Islay single malt Scotch whisky. It was released as one of the peatiest Ardbeg’s ever at over 100ppm.

It is from one of John’s favourite distilleries. Ardbeg lies lonely, in a small bay off the south coast of Islay. It was once a place of smugglers and illegal distillation. The illicit distillers took advantage of the isolated place and incomparable conditions for whisky production.

Related Article: Octomore Scottish Barley whisky

It was not until 1815 that a legal distillery was established by John McDougall. Ardbeg sits near the ‘Kildalton’ distilleries, Laphroaig and Lagavulin.

With all the hype around this Ardbeg Supernova 2009 whisky release, it sold out very quickly. I managed to buy this bottle on one of the Whisky Auctions and had it shipped to South Africa. Subsequently, Ardbeg brought out the Ardbeg Supernova 2010 release.

The LVMH group owns the Ardbeg distillery. I have tried various Ardbeg releases. You can read my review of the Ardbeg Uigeadail here.



Ardbeg Supernova 2009 Islay Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV:  58.9%

COLOUR: A light golden wheat colour.  It is a very oily whisky.

NOSE: Classic Ardbeg with peat, iodine and TCP. The peat is not overwhelming, but rather smooth and well balanced with some floral notes. There are hints of vanilla sweetness.

PALATE: Thick and creamy with peat, saltines and notes of spices. There are notes of bitter orange with some honeyed sweetness that is smoothed out after adding some water. Even though the ABV of the Ardbeg Supernova 2009 is 58.9%, there is no alcohol bite. Just smooth sweet peat and sweetness, perfectly balanced to create a fantastic drinking experience.

FINISH: Builds slowly to end in peaty, spicy notes. There are medicinal notes with hints of smoke and bitter orange again.

RATING: DIVINE

What more can I say? When Ardbeg gets it right, it’s spectacular. The Ardbeg Supernova 2009 Islay single malt whisky is utterly brilliant. Probably one of my favourite Ardbeg releases to date.  Rich, complex and expertly balanced. It is just perfect.  No more words are needed. What is your favourite Ardbeg?

Also read: Rum vs Whiskey


Jeannette Wentzel

View Comments

Recent Posts

Noble Rebel Orchard Outburst Whisky

During my visit to the Loch Lomond distillery in August, I had the opportunity to…

2 weeks ago

Whyte and Mackay Triple Matured Blended Whisky

One of the more affordable whiskies here in Mauritius is the Whyte and Mackay Triple…

3 weeks ago

Remy Martin XO Cognac

Let's change things up. This past weekend, we celebrated a special memory by opening some…

1 month ago

Review of the Loch Lomond Steam and Fire Whisky

Continuing with my notes from the Loch Lomond distillery visit, I'm diving into the Loch…

1 month ago

Chivas Regal 12 vs Glenfiddich 12 year old Whisky

Chivas Regal 12 vs Glenfiddich 12 year old whisky: a battle of two iconic drams.…

2 months ago

Review of the Ardbeg Smoketrails Manzanilla Edition Whisky

My husband John is a frequent traveller. Recently, he brought home the Ardbeg Smoketrails Manzanilla…

2 months ago

This website uses cookies.