Ardbeg Dolce

It has a relatively oily viscosity and a highly intense bouquet. I detect aromas of pleasant, maritime peat smoke, orange peel, vanilla, crème brûlée, chocolate, citrus, and ash. Not particularly complex. A good balance between sweetness and dryness in terms of flavor. The alcohol is well integrated, and it has a relatively heavy body.

Good nice whisky! Really good work, a solid dram for every day! 21 21+ 21 21+ 85

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Honey, an indefinable but very sweet fruit, a touch of salt, and unusually subtle smoke for an Ardbeg. On the palate, pronounced acidity, along with wood spice and pepper. The finish is medium-long with wood and acidity. It seamlessly joins the series of disappointing bottlings.

Somewhere between 85-86 p. for me. It's true that this one is balanced and the sweetness from Marsala comes out w/o being overbearing. Now what would've been great is added complexity through an older age, and a higher abv. making the aromas more concentrated. To me not unsimilar to the Spectacular in regards of style with basically the same kind of problems. The Spectacular is a notch more herbal instead of fruity btw. So this bottling is ok (if you leave the price out that could buy you sth better), but sadly a bit forgettable by design.

Nose: very sweet, with strong herbal smoke, tar, lemon, orange, and vanilla. It instantly evokes a summery feeling! Taste: Schweppes Bitter Orange, very clear, but with smoke instead of quinine. A lovely blend of sweetness and pleasant bitterness, refreshing for summer! Finish: sweet and bitter, the smokiness is by no means dominant, quite long. Conclusion: Plenty of typical Ardbeg character, but above all, THE quintessential summer whisky. The alcohol carries the aromas beautifully without any harshness, and the strength is just right.

Ardbeg seems to be becoming more like Macallan. I think only the Core Range is good; the special editions are generally not good value.

Pretty nice for a smokehead. Oh, it's an Ardbeg, well then. Even here, an X doesn't become a U just because one might wish it did. Too bad.

Dealer information: Ardbeg Dolce uniquely blends the characteristic Islay peat smoke with the fruity sweetness of Marsala Dolce casks from Sicily. This creates a complex single malt that complements familiar Ardbeg notes with a surprisingly soft, fruit-forward side. Non-chill filtered, uncolored, and a limited special bottling, it is an exciting choice for lovers of modern cask maturation and exceptional Islay whiskies. An intense yet harmonious experience that demonstrates how perfectly smoke, fruit, and sweetness can merge.

With water: it loses its consistency in the mouth, but the spiciness improves and the sweetness becomes more pronounced. Conclusion: Mixed emotions. I find the nose quite convincing, however, the dram completely falls apart in terms of taste and finish. A shame, a missed opportunity. It could have been a fantastic whisky. Overall, the cask doesn't really harmonize with the distillery's fundamental character.

Ardbeg Dolce ABV: 47.8% Cask: Bourbon, Sicilian Marsala Nose / Palate: Seaweed. Soil. Northeast black earth. Score: 83 [Recommend to try]

I must admit that this year's festival version is unlike any other, thanks to the bourbon and sweet wine barrels, which impart a unique aroma and flavor. Plenty of smoke from the fruit trees completely envelops all the ingredients, from the sweet, juicy fruit, notes of resin and forest floor, to the saltiness of the feta cheese, and finally, a subtle spiciness. Overall, this is what I like about Ardbeg.

Not for Ardbeg fans... Initially very bland and alcoholic in the nose. A little menthol and herbs, but just a hint of it. Definitely not enough... After letting the dram stand in the glass for almost an hour, aromas of apple and a hint of meadow herbs emerge.

The Ardbeg Dolce isn't a great whisky and doesn't truly excel in any particular area. It's too sweet on the palate, too thirst-inducing in the finish, and overall lacks complexity. Nevertheless, it's remarkably distinctive and achieves something that many so-called special bottlings only promise on the label: it actually tastes significantly different from the usual Ardbegs. The floral notes, orange, bergamot, Marsala sweetness, and the occasional almost metallic smoke give it a clearly recognizable Italian character. Underlying this are green apple, hints of cognac, heather, barrel spice, and eventually, the beloved, gritty Ardbeg BBQ smoke. Much of this, however, is masked by the sweetness, so the potential complexity is only hinted at rather than fully realized. Nevertheless, this bottling truly lives up to the designation "special bottling." It's not a slightly altered version of the familiar profile, but rather something distinctly different. As an Ardbegian, you can certainly add such a bottle to your collection – not because it's one of the best Ardbegs, but because it represents a genuine one-of-a-kind within the family. An unusual, entertaining, and unmistakably Italian-influenced Ardbeg that's a bit too sweet for my taste, but at least has the courage to be different. La dolce vita in a glass – a little too sweet for my liking, but undoubtedly with the character of a genuine special bottling.

A new Ardbeg? Named after the Italian word for a sweet treat? Here, whisky from ex-bourbon barrels meets whisky from Sicilian Marsala Dolce casks. Dolce is the sweetest version of Marsala. So, what can you expect? Tasting is the only way to find out! NOSE The nose is indeed very sweet. Almost a little too sweet for my taste. There are notes of dried fruit, some candied fruit, vanilla, and a hint of spice. Given the Marsala influence, though, I didn't expect anything different. It works. PALATE Based on the taste, I wouldn't necessarily have guessed it was Ardbeg. The smoke is certainly strong, but the typical Ardbeg notes with citrus and that peaty, tarry side that I would expect from a (modern) Ardbeg are barely present. Overall, the flavor is quite appealing, even if it doesn't really grab me personally, unlike, for example, the BizarreBQ. FINISH / CONCLUSION The aftertaste, however, is somewhat surprising. It's rather short for an Islay cigar and also seems a bit thin. I would have expected more. After the rather strong smokiness on my palate, I expected a bit more. More notes and reviews on Instagram and Facebook: #maltkanzlei

Tasted from a snifter glass. Tasted without adding water! Unfortunately, I can't get into this Ardbeg. It has a very strange, burnt rubber tire flavor combined with shoe polish. Occasionally, hints of orange, vanilla, and nougat milk chocolate flash through. But that's about it.

Some have called it a divisive whisky; I find it hard to believe anyone truly appreciates it as an Ardbeg: aimless, bland, lacking a clear direction and personality, easily forgotten.

The Sicilian influence doesn't match well with Ardbeg's character.

N: Powerful summer evening peat, beautiful! 89M: Sweet, not sharp, sticks nicely 88F: Lingers, invites a 2nd dram 87

After the Ardbeg Eureka 10CS, it was now up to the Dolce to convince me that Ardbeg is back on the right track. And it succeeded. What a delicious whisky this is. A beautiful balance between sweetness and smoke, and balance is certainly the right word here, because that is exactly what this whisky is.

Open review. The 2025 Committee seems better than the 10CS.

Ardbeg's coastal, peaty, Islay character remains intact but is infused with some sweet Sicilian influence.

sweet and smoky! one of the best ardbegs i've tried (out of 15)

Sicilian Marsala – Can I taste this flavor? It's hard to say, but perhaps to complement the style of the Sicilian Marsala barrel, the strong character of the ardbeg itself was deliberately toned down, resulting in a very subtle fusion...

For me, as someone who isn't usually an Ardbeg fan, this is a truly wonderful dram. Ashtray brûlée, sugar water with a cigar, cotton candy by a campfire – however you look at it, it lives up to its name.

Sweet and light notes, balanced and tasteful but nothing special

Like the majority of the special releases, reaching. It's fine. Hit the Corry or Oogie, the Ten for entry.

Contrary to expectations, not very sweet, but with a strong smokiness, although not necessarily typical of Ardbeg for me, but overall very balanced and harmonious; I think the finish was important. I like the finish best and it invites another sip - 04.07.2026

Sweet peat, really delicious. As an Ardbeg hater I have to admit - this is truly an amazing whisky.

Abedolce Smell: A sulfurous smell, a medicinal powder/capsule smell, and the aroma of some orange marmalade after being dripped with water. Taste: It's a bit prickly at first, followed by the sweetness of raisins, a malty aroma similar to bread, smokiness, and a powdery, dusty feel. Aftertaste: Distinct woody notes, some woody bitterness, nutty notes, and an unpleasant oily texture. 86. Unclear, unpleasant, and muddy. The Ardbegs released in recent years have all been terrible.

Ardbeg Dolce, 47.8%. Bottled in 2025. Bourbon and Marsala wine casks. Nose: Sugary sweet and creamy. Candied oranges, bergamot, plum liqueur, dates, sugared grapefruit. Here, the sweetness even overshadows the peat smoke, which is present but doesn't play a major role. The smoke has a slightly maritime feel, with notes of seaweed, a touch of pepper, and roasted nuts. Palate: The Ardbeg remains very sweet on the palate, but now the peat smoke can no longer hide and bursts forth in full force. Initially, there are notes of orange marmalade and grilled pineapple, followed by iodine, BBQ, and a smoldering peat fire. Finish: Rather medium-long and surprisingly mild compared to previous impressions. The peat smoke leaves a slightly spicy edge, but unfortunately, there isn't much more aromatic development. Conclusion: Some Ardbeg bottlings are nice experiments, but nothing more. I would include this Dolce among them. The sweet wine casks have certainly imparted some aromas, but the whisky comes across quite differently in the various categories, and the concept hasn't fully worked. A pleasant daily dram, but nothing more. I give it 83/100 points (2026).

Very nice experience that evolves on a good way!

probably the worst of all the Feis Ile releases since the re-opening. If I would have to guess the age I would say 3-5 years max.

Sweet smoke, I must say it wasn't bad.

A most unusual Ardbeg and, one could say, a Marmite whisky. My first impression was that I was unsure what to make of it. Second impression - I thought it was so different and really enjoyable. Keep an open mind and think of Ardbeg Off Piste

An atypical Ardbeg, but I have no problem with that (unlike so many others, apparently). For me, the distillery's character really shines through at the end. However, I liked the Ardbeg Ten CS even better (with water). [85~87] Nice, there's something to discover, but the incentive to buy only comes with a good price-to-enjoyment ratio :-)

Quite fruity, but not really exciting.

Traditional Ardberg, maybe not the smokiest.

Nose: cooked fruit, cherry marmalade, cinnamon, subdued peat disjointed from the fruitier notes Taste: extreme sweetness, riped and stewed fruit, prune, sweetened chocolate, a hint of spice, unbalanced Finish: short, the sweetness quickly fades into nothingness. lack of complexity.