I’ve only recently had the chance to try Ardmore, one each from Decadent Drams and Dramfool. I found the latter much more enjoyable, but both had interesting similarities: salt, grass, oil, and a touch of fruit. One of these I likened to an old tractor in a grassy field. Having grown up in a rural area around farms, Ardmore has so far hit on some nice nostalgic vibes. Let’s see how this Thompson Bros release compares.
(Image from Thompson Bros)
Whisky: Ardmore 25 Year (1998)
Cask: Two refill hogsheads
Bottler: Thompson Bros
ABV: 48.9%
The nose has a smoky, BBQ note along with grassy and herbal notes — fennel, lemongrass, trimmed brush, eucalyptus. Some of these notes are fresh, others are more akin to burning sage. That said, it’s all tied together very smoothly with creamy vanilla. A touch of mechanical oil, earthiness, and a slightly sweet fruit smell like an essence of apricot. The first whiffs communicate refinement.
The texture is full and smooth. Creamy. “Refined” is a much better descriptor than complex or interesting. It’s comfortable. Fresh herbs and cut grass around an ashy BBQ pit that finished its job hours ago. Sweet, creamy fruits: apricots and a touch of orange. Old, oily rags over on the shelf in the dirt floor shed. Has a slight saltiness and minerality.
It all balances nicely, wafting off as smoothly as it came. Oily, pleasant, familiar. Not quite one-dimensional; not deep nor complex; but, no rough edges. A tightly composed story, or perhaps a fond memory that can’t be composed.
Score: 4 / 5
Mental Image: The walks you took.