🥃 Ardbeg Wee Beastie
Five-year-old Ardbeg line since 2020: peaty whisky from Islay, 47.4% ABV, from bourbon and oloroso casks.
Ardbeg Wee Beastie is a five-year-old Ardbeg expression at 47.4% ABV. It is a peaty single malt from Islay, added to the core range in 2020. The name can be translated as 'little beast', which stresses its young age. According to The Whisky Shop, the whisky is not chill-filtered and is meant as a raw, very smoky Ardbeg.
It is matured in bourbon casks and oloroso sherry casks, and it keeps a clear peat character. According to The Whiskey Wash, the producer's serving suggestion is neat or in smoky cocktails. Like any Scotch, it matures in oak for at least three years; here the label states five. The sources do not give the peat level.
Why this matters to you. It is the youngest line, so it differs from Ten mainly in age and smoke strength rather than in alcohol content. The age on the label refers to the youngest whisky in the bottle. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 2020: added to the core range (per The Whiskey Wash) |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Islay) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | barley malt, peated |
| Cask type | bourbon and oloroso sherry casks |
| Minimum maturation | 5 years (stated on the label) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 47.4% ABV |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Ardbeg Wee Beastie → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Oloroso, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Ardbeg, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Islay whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Ardbeg An Oa, 🥃 Ardbeg Corryvreckan, 🥃 Ardbeg Ten, 🥃 Ardbeg Uigeadail, 🥃 Ardbeg An Oa, 🥃 Ardbeg Corryvreckan, 🥃 Ardbeg Ten, 🥃 Ardbeg Uigeadail, 🥃 Peated whisky
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Wee Beastie is weaker than Ten?
No. Its strength of 47.4% ABV is higher than Ten's 46%, but it is younger: five years instead of ten.
Which casks are used for Wee Beastie?
Bourbon and oloroso sherry casks, according to The Whiskey Wash and WhiskyNotes.
When did Wee Beastie appear?
In 2020, as a new permanent expression of the core Ardbeg range.
What to read next
- 🥃 Ardbeg An Oa — Ardbeg line with no age statement: peaty whisky from Islay, 46.6% ABV, from pedro ximenez, new oak and bourbon casks.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Peated whisky — Whisky with a smoky aroma from malt dried over a peat fire; it is a style, not a separate legal category.
Similar
🥃 Ardbeg An Oa · 🥃 Ardbeg Corryvreckan · 🥃 Ardbeg Ten · 🥃 Ardbeg Uigeadail · 🥃 Laphroaig Lore · 🥃 Kilchoman Machir Bay
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- The Whiskey Wash: Ardbeg adds a new very peaty whisky to its permanent line-up (Wee Beastie, 5 years, 47.4 %, ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks; April 2020)
- The Whisky Shop: Ardbeg Wee Beastie (47.4 %; 5 years; free from chill-filtration)
- WhiskyNotes: Ardbeg 5 Years Wee Beastie (47.4 %; ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso casks; newest addition to the core range, 2020)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: Scotch Whisky and Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)