Review #: 237
Description: Ardmore 2008 /r/Scotch Selection
Spirit: Scotch
Background: Here we have a peated Ardmore selected by the wonderful panel for /r/Scotch. This was distilled on June 19th, 2008 and aged in a bourbon barrel until bottling on October 7th, 2019 without chillfiltration nor coloring or dilution by Morrison and MacKay. It was sold by FineDrams but has since sold out.
Distillery – Ardmore
Bottler – Morrison & MacKay
Brand – Ardmore
Selection – /r/Scotch
ABV – 57%
Age – 11 Years
Nose – Lots of peat and ash right up front, sweet vanilla, lemon oil, sweet cereal like capt’n crunch
Taste – Sweet cream, vanilla, milk chocolate, sweet bbq sauce, lemon custard. Sweet, tangy, the smoke is there but in the background and well integrated.
Finish – Big hit of black pepper, a mix of bbq and ashy peat, maintains balance without it being too in your face. Slightest hint of brine comes in on the back end and sticks with the fading spice and peat
Score: 9
Would I buy a bottle? Yes, and a backup
Thoughts: I seem to always forget I have this bottle, but every time I pour it I fall in love again. I know I love my peat, but this gives me everything I want and it was so hard to pick out any negatives. I love getting the sweet and peat without needing it to be a wine cast (but yes, there isn’t as fruity of an aspect), while staying so balanced. I don’t take price into account in the score (just on whether I’d buy it/regret my purchase) but it’s hard to find an offering from Laddie or Ardbeg, or Laphroaig, or Lagavulin that hits in the way this does. An excellent selection.