Isle of Jura distillery logo
Isle of Jura Superstition review
March 17, 2014
Ardbeg Featured Image
Ardbeg Corryvreckan review
March 19, 2014
Isle of Jura distillery logo
Isle of Jura Superstition review
March 17, 2014
Ardbeg Featured Image
Ardbeg Corryvreckan review
March 19, 2014

Ardbeg Galileo review

Ardbeg Featured Image
Ardbeg Galileo - Layer Cake whisky

Ardbeg Galileo has an age statement (1999-2012), unlike recent Ardbegs. Containing whisky matured in ex-Marsala and first and second fill ex-Bourbon casks. It has the same ppm as standard Ardbeg whiskys but the Marsala softens it quite a bit. Rich and sweet dram with an Ardbeg touch.

Ardbeg Galileo is a Layer Cake whisky. Referring to the layers/levels you have to go through, when rising to the top of drug business. Let’s make it clear that movie reference comes only from the many layers, that I experienced with Galileo. Nothing drug related in this dram. Fireworks of many different flavors managed to raise this whisky into the top charts of my taste buds.

Definitely, not maybe a L4YER CAKE whisky

I am a big fan of smoke and that’s why I love the usual Ardbeg stuff, but the lack of smoke was not a disappointment to me. In fact, I’d love to welcome something like Galileo into the Ardbeg core range. It was surely nice to get the delicate side of Ardbeg distillery. It was almost like XXXX, the masculine Daniel Craig’s character from Layer Cake, had burst to lively song and dance in the 3rd act.

There’s lots of negative remarks about the Ardbeg Galileo marketing. About the hype of their new-make spirit in space and how Galileo has been made more desirable because it is supposed to be a 30 000 limited bottling. I have to say, that I don’t mind about the nice little “backstories” to boost sales and “hype productizing”. Those are everyday elements in the whisky world and for me, they make whisky tasting more interesting.

Only thing that does bother me: a good, complex and refreshing whisky like this, is hard to get and highly priced.

Matured in:
Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Wine casks
Colour: Golden amber
Nose: Freshly tropical with hints of soft smoke. Very fruity with a nice wine resemblance (must be the Marsala wine).
Taste: Smoke clears fast and brings layers of flavors: creamy fudge, lemon, pineapple and vanilla with a delicious wine feel. Smooth and easy to drink, with a complex taste though.
Finish: Lasts long, soft with creamy and smoky notes.
Balance: Good complex mix of peat, wine and fruits, emphasis on the fruity side. Smooth and consistent – the delicate side of Ardbeg.

Ardbeg Galileo Scoring

89
Nose:Taste:Finish:Balance:
22
22
23
22
Distillery: Ardbeg Region: Islay ABV: 49%

Some other Ardbeg reviews:
Ardbeg Corryvreckan
Ardbeg Auriverdes

Johannes Lindblom
Johannes Lindblom
Finnish whisky enthusiast and the author of WhiskyRant! A digital marketing professional by day – a whisky reviewer and informer by night.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *