Ardbeg 1998 - Almost There

N:  Wet turf & wet wool to begin with, then gets very earthy with distinct bonfire aromas - more woodsmoke than coal.  Like burning loose, wet, young peat rather than the heavy, dense, older stuff.

P:  Noticeably smoother than the Very Young and Still Young, its predecessors in this series.  Very approachable, with a more pronounced sweetness sitting well alongside the lemon, brine and smoke that so characterise the younger bottlings.

F:  Sweet and salty, with the peat mixing with some faint hints of legumes (runner beans, fresh sugar snap peas) and still plenty of spice.

Comment:  It is just fascinating to taste this alongside the two earlier versions and the Renaissance - to chart the development of one of the world's greatest malts from its infancy.  As one would expect, this version is more balanced and complete than its younger siblings.