Ardmore is an alternative distillery, sometimes offering a substitution to certain Islays. Let’s see if The Whiskyman opted for this kind of marked cask or if it is a lighter variation…
Nose : We immediately get some Caol Ila like tapenade. Alongside it, we have mandarin, crème fraîche and a good roll of black pepper. The peat evolves towards turpentine and brings us towards oil pipelines. The oil proliferates while sugar is well here. With the opening, we get a mix between farm leather and shells filled with iodine, with a mineral and lemony part. It is not austere and it gorges itself on fruity notes (white peach, melon) with a hint of French toast and caramel. A very beautiful nose that plays the peat with delicacy, allying sweet (fruits) and sharp (rocks, lemon) characters.
Mouth : We have an averagely greasy texture, almost thin, with a charcoal peat served with mandarin, lemon, dashes of olives, pepper and a maritime aspect that feeds itself with its mineral side and gains a few seaweeds notes. The second part of the mouth is more vegetal with a bit of milk chocolate and still a beautiful lemony presence that brings a nice balance. The mouth doesn’t make a fuss but shows delicacy down to Matcha tea notes.
Finish : We get a medium length but a nice persistence. It becomes austere with salted rocks, lemon, a lightly vegetal peat and turpentine.
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