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Kensington Wine Market's 2023 Whisky Calendar UBER EDITION Day 10 - Ardbeg Hypernova

Posted on December 10, 2023

by Evan

How much peat is too much peat? Scientists, philosophers, and whisky enthusiasts have debated this for eons and no conclusive findings have yet been identified. One of the greatest issues surrounding the question itself is the religious fervour it can bring out in those who are asked. One person will tell you that peat ruins whisky and they cannot abide by smoke and turf in their glass at all. Another will tell you they pour Octomore instead of milk on their breakfast cereal. When it comes down to it, both of these people are raving lunatics, but do not make the mistake of telling them that. Day 10’s Whisky in the 2023 KWM Whisky Calendar UBER Edition will be exciting news for one of those folks and a time to forget for the other. Today, we will taste the Ardbeg Hypernova.

Here is some info on the Hypernova, from Ardbeg’s website:

“The smokiest Ardbeg ever to mature into existence.

Introducing the latest Committee-only bottling in the Supernova Series… Ardbeg Hypernova. A dimension beyond the Supernovas that came before it, this fabric-tearingly smoky dram is a slice of Ardbeg history not to be missed.

Possibly the smokiest dram in the world (this one at least), Hypernova possesses a malty magnitude never before experienced. This is a brutally smoky dram that radiates flavour in every direction. HN22 can only be categorised as a truly cataclysmic event for the Distillery. It’s big, it’s powerful, and it’s pulling palates into a whole new dimension.

Propel your palate at full force towards powerful notes of tar, creosote and soot. Tumble further into the glass and explore ethereal whispers of aniseed, smoke and dark chocolate. Bitter almonds and smoked lavender fuse with curious hints of plasticine and burnt rubber, with a finish that collapses in on itself.

Non chill-filtered at 51.0% ABV.”

Ardbeg loves to release special editions. They currently release more limited releases than bottles they have in their core range, and Ardbeg fans are so rabid for them that each and everyone sells out quickly.

If you are aware of Ardbeg at all, you know that the distillery does not shy away from peat in the slightest. Their general peat spec for their malt is typically 50 PPM. Their Supernova limited releases were apparently beyond 100 PPM. Hypernova eclipses that number, apparently clocking in at 170 PPM. Surprisingly though, That is still below the level of many of the Octomore releases from Bruichladdich Distillery. Octomore 6.3 had a PPM level of 258 if my memory serves and I believe that has been the highest of all Octomore releases to date.

(I checked, and my memory does not serve. Octomore 8.3 hit 309 PPM).

Side note on this: In the next few years, we will likely see more of a debate on how the peat level of any given whisky is measured. The peat spec is usually measured and detailed from testing the malted barley. That is all well and good, but all of that peat and smoke do not necessarily survive everything that happens to the malt as it goes through the rigours and trials on its way to becoming whisky. Fermentation, distillation, and cask aging can and do strip away and soften some of the impact of peat has on any given whisky. That is to say that 50 PPM malted barley will not directly translate over to a whisky that measures at 50 PPM. Like a juvenile contest that involves bragging about the size of a certain part of the male anatomy, where you start measuring from makes a great difference in the number you end up with, and even that is a contentious issue.

I am only aware of one company that is measuring the peat level of a whisky that is already in cask or even bottled – and that is GlenAllachie Distillery. They haven’t released much of their still-young peated spirit runs, which they only started doing after Billy Walker and company took over in 2017. I wouldn’t be surprised if their peated releases, when they arrive, start a new chapter on the great peat debate because of this.

There is a somewhat quiet contest between distilleries and companies happening in the background on this. Similar to how a midlife crisis can lead to a man overcompensating for a loss of testosterone and hair by purchasing a sports car and a much younger girlfriend, you have to wonder what faults they are trying to compensate for. At the end of the day, it is not the peat measurement or length and girth of the stills that matters, it is how the whisky tastes!

So, how does the Ardbeg Hypernova taste?

Ardbeg Hypernova – 51%

Evan’s Tasting Note

Nose: As if millions of peat haters cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. This. Is. Turf. Surf, and Turf. Oh, and grilled lemons, oatmeal with brown sugar, grilled assorted shellfish, salty biscuits, plus a box of crayons thrown in just for fun.

Palate: Overly-toasted marshmallows, artificial banana flavouring, fish and chips with malt vinegar, angel food cake, apple sauce, cola bottle soft candies, smoky oatmeal, and a can of 7-Up.

Finish: There is some smoke on the finish, he said, with a note of understatement left in floating the air. Plenty of sweet notes linger as well.

Comment: Sure, it's peaty. Hyperbole aside, the remarkable thing with drams like this is how many other notes can be found within. This is a pretty balanced whisky despite the mind-boggling PPM it is built around.

Cheers,
Evan
evan@kensingtonwinemarket.com
Facebook & Instagram: @sagelikefool

You can find all blog posts for the UBER EDITION of Kensington Wine Market’s 2023 Whisky Calendar Here

This entry was posted in Whisky, Whisky Calendars, KWM Whisky Calendar 2023 UBER EDITION

 

 

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