Peat Smoked Sea Salt 11yo 2014/2025

Peat Smoked Sea Salt 11yo 2014/2025

Elevenses Whisky, Keeble Cask Company
Single malt - Ardmore
Pale orange
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, peanuts, petrol exhaust, smoke, soot, yoghurt, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Lemon zest, yoghurt, malted grains, petrol exhaust, burning leaves, soot, hints of sour cream. 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, yoghurt, lemon juice, burning leaves. 

Comments: 

I’m fairly sure this is an Ardmore. It’s got some interesting burning leaves notes, with lots of citrusy lemon. It’s also slightly lactic, maybe a little too lactic for me.

Verdict:

I like this.

Ardmore 13yo 2009 Reserve Casks Parcel No 11

Ardmore 13yo 2009 Reserve Casks Parcel No 11

Single Malts of Scotland, Elixir Distillers
Single malt - Speyside
Pale lemon
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, apricots, toast, smoke, golden syrup, white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, static, mouth coating, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apricots, honey, smoke, peat, coffee, white grapes, dark chocolate, ginseng, hints of oakum. 
Finish: Long. Wet stones, peat, toast, golden syrup, hints of apricots. 

Comments: 

Fruity and chocolatey, but it’s all coated in a thickish layer of gentle peat. It’s very close to the surface, almost like licking the peat. Quite delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardmore 14yo 2010/2024

Ardmore 14yo 2010/2024

Saltire Rare Malt Whisky Co
Single malt - Speyside
Golden 
58.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Farmyard, malted grains, pear, roast beef, smoke, cream, lemon zest, magic marker. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, mouth coating, warm. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Peat, peanuts, lemon zest, smoke, cream, autumn leaves, magic marker, hints of yoghurt. 
Finish: Short. Peat, rye bread, yoghurt, lemon zest, hints of peanuts. 

Comments: 

Meaty and organic, lots of whiffs of the peat, not so much the smoke. Underneath that, there’s a estery core, very much like pear drops. There’s a hint of lactic note as well, before it gets very peppery and malty at the end.

Verdict:

I like this.

Ardmore 11yo 2009/2021

Ardmore 11yo 2009/2021

The Single Cask
Single malt - Speyside 
Orange
55.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, apple juice, heather, germolene, leather, petrichor, hints of wet stones. With water, honey, apple juice, apricot jam, sandalwood. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Apple juice, sandalwood, apricot jam, petrichor, wet stones, autumn leaves, leather. With water, sandalwood, leather, apricot jam, camphor, black tea. 
Finish: Medium. Germolene, malted grains, apricot jam, leather. 

Comments: 

Cask 709249. Ardmore, but with the peat a little stronger. It’s sweet but earthy, with a lot of camphor, but also apricot jam and some sandalwood. A good session dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardlair 11yo 2010/2022

Ardlair 11yo 2010/2022

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Speyside 
Straw
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, lemon sweets, cream, vanilla, sea salt, leather, hints of walnuts. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon sweets, sultanas, orange juice, vanilla, leather, hints of smoke, hints of damson jam. 
Finish: Long. Orange juice, lemon sweets, walnuts, leather, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Never had Ardlair (“Ardless”) but I like the look and taste of it. Lots of sweet and sour fruit infused with a rich dark nuttiness. I must hunt out some older expressions, if they’re available.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardmore 32yo 1988/2021

Ardmore 32yo 1988/2021

The Nectar, Daily Drams
Single malt - Speyside 
Silvery yellow
47.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Rhubarb and custard sweets, sapodilla, brass polish, cedar, mint, liquorice, hints of beef broth. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, warm, thickens slightly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Mint, liquorice, sapodilla, beef broth, pears, leather, lemon sweets, lemongrass, peat, hints of cedar. 
Finish: Short. Rhubarb and custard sweets, leather, pears, peat, hints of lemongrass. 

Comments: 

Complex, yet balanced, this Ardmore is highly restrained in terms of peatiness. There’s plenty of complexity in the sweet notes alone, and a meaty savouriness as well. It’s an excellent whisky, one of the best Ardmores I have ever tasted.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardmore 30yo 1987/2018

Ardmore 30yo 1987/2018

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Golden, hints of amber
47.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honeycomb, raisins, leather, marmalade, strawberry jam, farmyard, beef broth, hints of tyre rubber. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Marmalade, leather, winter melon, peat, raisins, tobacco leaf, hints of Chinese angelica. 
Finish: Long. Honeycomb, raisins, Chinese angelica, tobacco leaf, hints of beef broth. 

Comments: 

Beautiful bitter sweet old Ardmore. The leathery peat is evident, and there’s a huge amount of old Chinese herbs in the tongue. Surprisingly savoury, both on the nose and on the finish. Such a treat.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardmore 26yo 1995/2021

Ardmore 26yo 1995/2021

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail 
Single malt - Speyside 
Golden, hints of copper
52.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, roast pork, vanilla, peat, sea salt, caramel. With water, cream, smoke, hints of roast pork. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, warm, slippery. 

Tasting:  Bitter salty. Sea salt, vanilla, white pepper, smoke, peat, fresh cut grass, hints of roast pork. With water, sweeter, vanilla, cream, caramel, smoke. 
Finish: Medium. Bitter, cocoa powder, fresh cut grass, peat, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

This is a perfectly acceptable Ardmore, but when tasting it I was struck by the difference between bottle aging and no bottle aging for certain whiskies. Now I like old bottle effect, but a long time in the bottle allows flavours to merge, becoming less well defined. It’s not necessarily so good for lighter whiskies, but for peated drams, it makes the peat gentler and allows other notes to surface. This is decent whisky but a little (ok, a lot) time in glass would make it a great whisky, polishing off some of those slightly harsh smoky medicinal flavours. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Ardmore 10yo 2009/2018

Ardmore 10yo 2009/2018

Provenance, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside 
Straw
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, orange peel, lemon zest, fresh cut grass, smoke, hints of leather. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens slightly, sticky, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Lemon zest, sea salt, orange peel, fresh cut grass, smoke, oats, hints of rosemary. 
Finish: Short. Smoke, honey, orange peel, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

Cask 13540. I like my Ardmore more heavily peated than not and this one is quite characteristic of that distillery profile. Lots of fruit, a little herbal top note, and plenty of smoke and leather. This sort of whisky gains a bit of complexity as it ages, but at 10 years old it’s perfectly fine. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Ardmore 21yo 1997/2019

Ardmore 21yo 1997/2019

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail 
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale gold
58.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, leather, white grapes, peanuts, tobacco leaf, hints of butterscotch. With water, peaches, white grapes, nutmeg, hints of tobacco leaf. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, white grapes, butterscotch, peaches, smoke, orange peel. With water, sea salt, white grapes, lemon zest, nutmeg. 
Finish: Medium. Germolene, leather, white grapes, peaches, smoke. 

Comments: 

Hot and pungent, almost acrid, this Ardmore is intensely flavoured, yet sweet. Water opens it up beautifully, revealing a fruity, spicy, slightly savoury flavour profile. Very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS 66.167 (Ardmore 7yo 2012/2020)

SMWS 66.167 (Ardmore 7yo 2012/2020)

2020, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside 
Sunshine yellow
61.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, orange peel, autumn leaves, toffee, cocoa nibs. With water, germolene, vanilla ice cream, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thick, syrupy, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Leather, peat, orange peel, marshmallows, vanilla, dark chocolate, golden syrup. With water, sweeter, vanilla ice cream, candle wax, orange peel, hints of leather. 
Finish: Medium. Chocolate, orange peel, lemon zest, marshmallows, autumn leaves. 

Comments: 

This is a strong young Ardmore, high ABV, lots of fruit but also not shy with the peat. It’s two very distinct layers, bitter peat and fragrant fruit, and it opens up quite a bit with a drop of water. It somehow melds the two layers well, and is really quite delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Ardmore 21yo 1998/2019

Ardmore 21yo 1998/2019

Cask Collection, AD Rattray
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale gold
51.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Germolene, peat, smoke, toffee, rye bread, butter, marmalade.  
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, warm, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Marmalade, toffee, butterscotch, vanilla, smoke, honey, leather. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, butterscotch, cinnamon, smoke, peat, honey. 

Comments: 

Cask 750802. I’m not too familiar with peated Ardmore, but I enjoyed this dram. The peat is quite gentle of course, lightly layered over some sweet oaky butterscotch, but it’s very pleasant. A very well constructed dram, both sweet and smoky at the same time. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Ardmore Legacy

Ardmore Legacy

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Pale green
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, dried pears, peat, raisins, hints of cardamom. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, loosens, watery. 
Tasting:  Salty bitter. Apples, raisins, salt caramel, smoked ham, hints of cardamom. 
Finish: Medium. Sea salt, smoked ham, peat, dried pears. 

Comments: 

Made from 20% peated malt and 80% unpeated malt. It's a bit odd, there's some subtle complexity here, and very pleasant hints of cardamom, but it's covered with a great whopping layer of peat, and you have to work quite hard to get to the fruity gentle notes. A strange combination, and frankly, I could have done without the peat.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 66.68 (Ardmore 11 yo 2003/2015)

SMWS 66.68 (Ardmore 11 yo 2003/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
60.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoky bacon, pine needles, leather, wintergreen, lemon zest, hints of buttered toast. With water, mint, lavender, lemon juice. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, slightly fizzy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Smoky bacon, buttered toast, lemon zest, honey, hints of dark chocolate. With water, less sweet, leather, lemon juice, hints of mint. 
Finish: Long. Leather, pork crackling, buttered toast, honey. 

Comments: 

Peated Ardmore! This is pretty rare, but the quality of the whisky is excellent as well. Loads of smoky bacon, lots of meaty notes, interlaced with herbal, even grassy notes. With water the smoke fades somewhat, to be replaced by more herbal notes and tart lemon juice. Great stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 66.44 (Ardmore 10 yo 2002/2013)

SMWS 66.44 (Ardmore 10 yo 2002/2013)

2013, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Deep red brown
56.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Soy sauce, oak, strawberries, vanilla, caramel, smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, watery, thin. 
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Soy sauce, strawberries, smoke, bacon, vanilla, chocolate. 
Finish: Medium. Smoke, bacon, vanilla. 

Comments: 

I was seduced by the gorgeous colour. I ought to know better by now - the colour of a whisky is in no way indicative of its flavour. Smoky and sweet, but with big hit of soy sauce and meaty bacon. The flavours aren't very well-balanced, although the whisky is a bit young. Disappointing, given my expectations.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Ardmore 16 yo 1991/2008

Ardmore 16 yo 1991/2008

Distillery Labels, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Pale yellow
43% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Malty beer, leather, chillies, lemon zest, smoke, soy sauce.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, tingly, warm.
Tasting: Salty. Lemon zest, orange peel, leather, cardboard, chillies, malty beer, soy sauce, hints of grilled fish.
Finish: Long. Chillies, orange peel, leather, hints of prunes.

Comments:

Surprisingly smoky and salty. Uncompromising, and very spicy for the low-ish strength of 43%. I'm very pleasantly surprised. This is excellent whisky. It's not only the Scotch Malt Whisky Society's Ardmores that are unusual and interesting.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 66.29 (Ardmore 23 yo 1985/2009)

SMWS 66.29 (Ardmore 23 yo 1985/2009)

2009, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Buttercup gold
51.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butter, prunes, marmalade, honey, raisins, hints of tobacco, hints of smoke. With water, sweeter, salt caramel appears.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns slightly syrupy.
Tasting: Bitter. Smoked kippers, peanuts, marmalade, honey, pears, tobacco, hints of roast pork. With water, raisins, brown paper, salt caramel.
Finish: Long. Smoked kippers, peanuts, walnut skins, tobacco.

Comments:

Not your usual Speyside - quite smoky and savoury. The taste doesn't deliver on the nose's promises, with very few hints of the sweet notes in the nose apparent on the tongue. It's a lot better with water.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 66.20 (Ardmore 20 yo 1985/2005)

SMWS 66.20 (Ardmore 20 yo 1985/2005)

2005, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Copper gold
54.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, green beans, vanilla, honey, cotton candy, lemon tart, prunes, hints of grilled pork.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, volatile, slightly astringent.
Tasting: Sweet. Honey, lemon tart, grilled pork, orange blossom, vanilla, hints of strawberries, hints of prunes.
Finish: Medium. Smoke, honey, mustard, vanilla.

Comments:

Some pruneaux! Hints at armagnac, but the flavours are quickly overwhelmed by the smoke. I didn't detect any grilled fish in this (like the SMWS tasting notes said), it tasted more like grilled pork to me.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 66.28 (Ardmore 10 yo 1998/2008)

SMWS 66.28 (Ardmore 10 yo 1998/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
58.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Caramelised peanuts, raisins, milk chocolate, cornflakes, vanilla, rotting meat, hints of marijuana, hints of sea salt.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, a little volatile.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Leather, cornflakes, marijuana, milk chocolate, rubber, hints of rare steak, hints of smoke.
Finish: Medium. Peanuts, cookie dough, leather.

Comments:

Smells like the inside of an Amsterdam cafe, with chocolate brownies, cereal and pot... In the mouth, the chocolate mutates to leather, with a little smoke, but the pot notes still dominate the taste. Very unusual!

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 66.26 (Ardmore 23 yo 1985/2008)

SMWS 66.26 (Ardmore 23 yo 1985/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Pink gold
52.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Walnuts, smoke, soy sauce, bitter sweet caramel, sea salt.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, slightly watery around the edges.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Smoke, cigars, walnuts, lemons, orange peel, demerara sugar, hints of peat.
Finish: Short. Woody, bitter, hints of orange peel.

Comments:

Very smoky for a Speyside. And yet, almost a little too sweet. Still, there's a fair amount of orange peel and other citrus fruit that marries well with the peat and smoke. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.