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Whisky Wednesday #12: Ardmore 2009, cask no. 8620


For this #WhiskyWednesday, we wanted to bring you something a wee bit special, to celebrate receiving our first ever batch of branded Glencairn glasses! That’s right, we now have these pretty, pretty little things, and we will keep you posted on when they will be available to buy. But what to christen such a glass with? Well, we thought we’d be kind and give you a wee preview of one of the cask samples we’ve got, the barrel yet to be delivered to our warehousing in Auchtermuchty - to be bottled as one of our first releases!


This 2009 Ardmore was distilled on 08/12/09 - cask number 8620, if you really want to know. It is currently housed in a bourbon barrel sitting at 61.7% ABV, on its way to us from some of our very good friends. We love Ardmore as a distillery. Up in Huntly between Dufftown and Inverurie, it is one of the great Highland distilleries you can rely on to get really good peat, not a kick in the butt off the quality of Islay - in some cases, something might even say better. Tones are usually smoky or slightly ashy, with big, big peaty numbers, but we think we’ve found a stunner.


This sample has deteriorated very slightly, but the palate here starts with a firm centre of caramelised, slightly meaty char. Yet it is also sweetened with notes of rich caramelised almost baked stone fruits, and perhaps a hint of cooked apple, both round the side of the tongue. There are hints of sweeter sugar caramels, and a very pleasant spice comes in at the front and back edges of the tongue towards the finish. There is also a very slight ashy note, wood ash from a pleasant bonfire. Spices are allspice and cardamom, with maybe a hint of cinnamon and a little anise. The character throughout, however, focuses on the rich meat and fruit caramels, coming together beautifully in wonderful synergy to complement and enhance. The finish is medium to long, and brings in a slight smoky bacon note, nicely cooked, that is very pleasant. This is a brilliant dram that we are very proud of, although it is not the only great Ardmore cask we have. Expect this or something very similar in our first releases.


We look forward to it being in your glasses as well as ours! Slàinte! 🥃

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