Ardbeg Supernova The Ultimate Islay Single Malt

Nose: youthful, punchy and spicy; vanillas and bananas add a sweetness to the molten peat; Taste: an explosion of sharp citrus and grassy malt. Not quite what was expected but the smoke and spices cause mayhem as they crash around the palate: eye-watering, safety harness-wearing stuff; Finish: the oak has a bitter-ish surprise but soft sugars compensate. Elsewhere the smoke and spice continues its rampage; Balance: there are Supernovas and there are Supernovas. Some have been going on a bit and have formed a shape and indescribable beauty with the aid of time; others are just starting off and though full of unquantifiable energy and wonder have a distance to travel. By comparison to last year's blockbusting Whisky Bible award winner, this is very much in the latter category. Score - 93.5. (Jim Murray, Whisky Bible, 2014)