There aren't many bottlings released in G&M's Cask-series anymore, but when they do I hope they still, like often before, knows to choose great casks. An young Ardmore surely is a whisky that would be wasted at 46%abv.
Ardmore 14yo 1991-2006 57.9% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#6158,6159,6160
A mix of three neighboring casks, and a bottling that's still quite available even though being bottled more than 6 years ago. I do not know why there is only a NAS bottling available from the distillery at this moment, perhaps they've sold too much older stock to IB's and blenders? The Ardmore Traditional Cask is however, not a fair representative of the quality Ardmore is capable of. Buts lets see how this one fares. The color is wheat golden. It smells of peat and vanilla, I must say that very few highlanders carry peat as well as Ardmore. Some fresh marshmallow and wheat, light smoky notes, vanilla, citrussy, lemon icing, peach. The taste is sweet, vanilla, banana jam, raspberry, fig jam, burnt sugar, peaty, intense peat, but not smoke-driven peat, more raw peaty notes. Very sweet and gentle for an Ardmore, this is even a bit nervous malt. Needs some water to open up. Now it turns more raw, grassy, dusty, bitter, paint, oily, lacquer, kinda spirity, some wax and leather too. I wouldn't add water to this if I knew the consequences. Its perfectly good bare, but if you're looking for a lavish malt more so as to a lightly sip-able dram, this one is not for you.
A fun, recreational dram, one to enjoy at the races, not at the opera: 6.5
Next tasting: Fettercairn Distillery
(And yes, this dusty glass was for photo purpose only)
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