Ardbeg Alligator Committee Release paired with a Camacho Triple Maduro Cigar and Chuao's Gianduja Bonbon

Ardbeg has done it again with their annual Committee bottling.  Following the success of last year's complex Roller Coaster expression, they have created another limited release that has us swooning.  The aply named Alligator, is a reference to the charred texture of cask's wood staves which resemble the scales of an alligator's hide when they have been heavily toasted over open flame.  During this process, the flames are so intense that just a few seconds make a huge difference to the resulting characteristic of the barrel.  Char levels range from One (seconds) to Four (just a few minutes).  Ardbeg chose the deepest char for its Alligator expression.

Charring of the casks, causes the transformation of the clear new make spirit in many ways.  Toasting at any level allows the whisky to more easily penetrate the pores of the wood, dramatically affecting its flavor.  With toasting, wood starches convert to natural sugars that are carmelized, imparting alternatively sweet, spicy and toasty flavors, along with a more reddish color. Viscosity and subsequently the mouthfeel is affected, as is the depth of flavor (a deep char is not meant for more delicate spirits).  The created carbon layer also acts as an activated filter which absorbs sulfur compounds and other impurities within the whisky.  It is also thought that spirits mature much faster in a charred barrel.

This Alligator has some SNAP!   Bottled at a high 51.2% ABV (alcohol by volume), it is deliciously spicy, peppery, sweet and toasty...with a real bite on the tongue.  Since there is no age statement, its a secret just how long Alligator was aged in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels before it was vatted with their core 10 year old stock.  But this liquid reptile seems dangerously young and sassy.  Ardbeg's trademark intense menthol tang greets the nose, followed by ginger spices, a very peppery scent, the slight bitterness of dark chocolate, and a whiff of barbecue sauce.  These all blend with the richness of pipe smoke for an aroma that is somewhat tamer than its palate.  With a slick and astringent, slightly salty body, this whisky assaults the tongue on first sip with a generous dose of spice and pepper.  Vanilla struggles to surface through notes of ginger, licorice, pepper and cloves.  This all gives way to a toasted cocoa bean note and tobacco smokiness that refuses to let go.  Peat is present but not overwhelming, and all is tempered by a burnt caramel sweetness.  Flavors are rich, deep and complex.  It is the gift that keeps on giving.  It might be hard to "snap one up" in this limited release, but rumor has it that a more extended bottling with follow this fall.  (Click picture of bottle to purchase.)

Chuao's Gianduja bonbon was a bit of a surprise match to the Alligator whisky which is really quite spicy and peppery.  Gianduja really pulls the vanilla and coffee forward.  These particular flavor notes are otherwise quite subtle and fleeting in the Alligator expression.  Gianduja also has the perfect touch of sweetness which seems to mellow out the harshness of the high alcohol content of this dram. This milk chocolate bonbon with a hazelnut paste filling dotted with fresh vanilla and just a hint of coffee tames the beast, but ever so slightly.  (Click picture to purchase Gianduja bonbons)

Complicated and strong single malts such as the Alligator are sometimes difficult to flavor match with cigars. The high alcohol content, astringency and long finish often overpower milder cigars and make one feel that they are sucking on a straw. And with all the flavors developing on the palate with the Alligator, just selecting a full bodied cigar wouldn't necessarily guarantee a good match either.  Figuring that we did need a cigar with some strength, we selected several that we thought would match up well, and sat down with a dram (or two, or three) and just tried them out. Our best cigar match was a little surprising, as, like the Alligator, it too is pretty unusual.

In no particular order, we tried the following cigars: Partagas Black Maximo, Joya de Nicaragua Antano, CAO Brazilia, Camacho Triple Maduro and Alec Bradley Tempus Maduro. We were hoping to pick out certain flavors in the single malt and highlight them with the cigar, while matching strength and full bodied flavor. With the Maximo, it was the barbecue and char flavors we were singling out, but the combination just didn't taste as expected. The Brazilia was intended to highlight the dark chocolate by bringing in bitter chocolate and coffee flavors. This was a better combination.

The Joya was selected to bring in creamier chocolate, vanilla and spice flavors and was actually a nice match. Of the two Maduros, we felt the Camacho was the better choice and is actually the best match of the five cigars.

What makes the Camacho Triple Maduro an even more interesting selection is that it is also the first all-maduro cigar. Made from five different types of maduro tobacco grown on Camacho's farms in the Jamastran Valley of Honduras, it is also a Honduran puro. Does that make it a puro maduro or a maduro puro? (Click picture of cigar to purchase.)

Maduro tobaccos generally don't have the best burn characteristics due to the thickness of the leaves necessary to hold up to the longer maturation process, and the heavier oil content, so creating an all-maduro blend that will burn well and taste good was a real challenge for the blender.  

Initially the Triple Maduro produced coffee and chocolate flavors as expected, but it had an earthiness to it that made it deeper and more interesting. This played off nicely with the chocolately, smoky and sweet flavors in the Ardbeg. The smoke was nice and thick and coated the mouth with a creamy finish, which really helped cut the astringency and long finish of the malt, softening the attack on the palate.

As the burnline crazily advanced, the flavors changed a bit, adding a nutty flavor to the coffee/chocolate mix.  On the finish, maybe a little licorice or anise also appeared in the background. These flavor additions, or changeups, paired up across the malt and highlighted otherwise fleeting nuances in the Ardbeg.  In the final third, the coffee and chocolate lessened, and the nuttiness continued on, though the smoke became a bit harsh and biting. We did notice that at times the chocolate flavor would appear very strong and sweet for a few seconds, and then fade slightly back into the earthier side.

As the Triple Maduro was not only full flavored and full bodied, it was full in strength as well, so we were expecting a big nicotine hit. Oddly though, we think that the sugars in the single malt actually helped calm the nicotine buzz a bit, -- we didn't even get light headed.

If you are a fan of full flavored, strong cigars then the Camacho Triple Maduro is certainly worth a spot in the rotation, as it's probably not a daily smoke. If you are just looking for something "completely different", then this pairing is also worth a try. Either way you are in for an interesting experience.

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