Single Malt
Scotland
1 Jan 1996
Due to the reliance on Ardmore to create quality whisky for use in blends, it is only recently that the Highland distillery has begun to establish a presence as single malt. Ardmore doesn't tend bottling much of the whisky it produces, and certainly it doesn't have much of a record of pairing a release with an age statement.
Yet, here we are. A single malt, matured for 20 years in bourbon and ex-Islay casks, on the doorstep of MoM towers. Typically peated and full of promise, this is a really intriguing dram worth trying.
Earthy peat is present from the start, with clean citrus notes of melon and lemon underneath. Chocolate digestives, honey, red apple and old oak round off an impressive nose.
Peppery peat develops more, not drying, but heating and softening the palate to reveal a robust vanilla that maintains among flares of flamed orange peel. Crushed summer berries and Scottish alfresco notes of freshly Scots pine and thick, meadow grass join with aplomb.
A light, honey'd finish, elegant peat carries throughout that lets a needed sweetness permeate, with the gentle presence of a sprig of rosemary.
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Excellent: rather 'Ardbeggy' mix of smoke, peat, phenolics & sweet malt - but without the ABG slap round the face with a kipper. More peaty than your average Ardmore (that will be the ex-laphroag finishing casks), MOM notes are quite accurate. Fantastic value for money - £67 for a 20 y/o @ 49% non chill filtered. If you see it, buy one because you will never get another. Ardmore stopped doing direct fired distillation in 2001.
Ardmore is a bit odd ball of scottish single malts. These older distillery bottlings and independents are more uncompromised and therefore real character of distillery coming through. Distinctively earthy peatiness, ground cellar, some dry herbal notes and always a little metallic twist, which is not particularly pleasent. Some whisky aficionados will love this one.
