Smoketrails is a limited series of expressions introduced by the House of Ardbeg, that provides travelers an experience of the influence of casks sourced from around the world against the distilleries’ traditional smoky and peaty flavours. Another addition to pep up this ARDventure is the distilleries’ four-legged mascot, “Shorty,” a Jack Russell meant to join this cask influenced world tour!

Introduced between October and November of last year was the first of the series, The Manzanilla Edition. The labelling upholds the wacky albeit cooler and more younger gen focussed styling. Taking centre stage is an illustration of the origins of the wine from which the spirit is aged in – Spain, along with several depictions of Shorty, one in particular, zooming from Spain to Islay. The expression has no age statement to it but is a marriage of spirits aged in the traditional American ex bourbon cask along with spirits matured in barrels that previously held manzanilla sherry, sourced from Sanlúcar de Barrameda off Spain’s Atlantic Coast.

ABV : 46%

Eye : Old Gold | Non Chill Filtered, Natural Colour

Nose : Starts mildly sweet, with vanilla, coffee and citrus zest, soon interrupted with char, smoke and brine. Charred melons come accompanied with some nuttiness, leather, earth and white pepper

Taste : Charred wood and smoke infused with the sweetness of vanilla and a maritime salty breeze. Tropical on the palate with a dash of citrus zest and  cigarette ash, leaving the palate a bit dry with sage and herbal nauances.

Finish: Medium | Charred and woody, with brine, a pinch of sweetness and  wet cardboard.

The Manzanilla cask is a bit sweeter than I would imagine for a dry, white sherry. It starts very traditional, with brine ushering onto the palate,  the char and peat  cupping the taste buds, and a mellow sweetness that subtly hovers in and around the mouth. It does have good breadth but lacks depth and the flavours lack lustre beyond a certain point. You feel like your taken along this exciting journey but it all comes to a halt with a rather blunt ending. It’s not terrible but isn’t as charismatic as some of its other siblings, and can be seen as a rather easy going, palatable, peaty brew from the distillery.

At around AUD $145, it’s not cheap! But does come in a litre bottling, so some solace there. However, it being a duty free exclusive does mean it might not be easily available, at least not initially. Not a bad choice honestly, but one that can be substituted by a more well known expression from the distillery – it’s really a matter of preference. For me, this whisky didn’t sing, nor did it speak of any accomplishment, and though I wouldn’t mind giving it another go; I was NOT impressed!

Slainte!