Category Archives: Ardmore
Ardmore Traditional Cask NAS
Whisky: Ardmore Traditional Cask NAS, 46%
R400 ≈ £36
Released in 2007, this expression was the first official single malt from the Ardmore distillery, and since then only a 25yo has also been bottled. (Although active and producing whisky since 1898, Ardmore’s output has been used in blends.) This is matured in ex-bourbon casks and then finished in quarter casks assisting in a faster maturation. Non-chill filtered and peated, the latter being uncommon for whisky from the Highland region.
Nose: Autumn notes with dust and dried leaves. Light wood smoke, dried sweet dark fruits, and warm oak notes.
Taste: Full and creamy with hints of vanilla. Fruity, with soft wood spice that builds gently cushioned by an assortment of dried grains. Smoke lingers throughout but never evades. Impressively smooth for a NAS.
Finish: Consistently smooth with the balance of fruit, light peat smoke, and wood until the very end. Medium in length.
My Score: 79
Great to try an original expression from a distiller that historically hasn’t been bottling it’s own spirit. This an easy, flavoursome, every-day drinker. Not as peaty as I expected at all, but adds a good additional element to this rich Highland malt.
