The second of two Blackadder Raw Cask bottles of my favorite distillery Ardmore that I purchased from Passion for Whisky in the Netherlands. This one is a year older than the prior bottle, coming in at 11 years old, yet it's bottled at the exact same strength - 60.6% ABV. I'm deadly curious to see how this tastes, even as tendrils of smoke from the previous bottle remain on my tongue!
Why waste time? Here we go:
Nose: Distinctly sweeter and more honeyed than the other bottle, but otherwise classical Ardmore profile: honey, apple, machine grease, smoke, peat, pear, cooling herbs, heather or similar floral note, soft citrus, pepper, malt. A very rich nose.
With a little water: The pear and honey pepper notes become a little fresher and more vibrant, but mostly it stays the same.
Mouthfeel: A touch thinner than expected, but still firmly in the "medium/creamy" realm.
Palate: Hot peppery alcohol, apples, pears, thick dabs of honey, malt, fresh cut grass, stones and salt water, citrus flesh, smoke.
With water: Honey, black pepper, and pear flesh/melon come forward, but again - mostly the same.
Finish: Smoke, oak, pepper, honeyed orchard fruit thrown into a bonfire, and cooking herbs.
Verdict: It's interesting to compare and contrast this with the other Blackadder Ardmore I just had. This is hotter, sweeter, and brasher than its younger relative: the honey is bigger and spicier, and the alcohol is more powerful despite the same nominative ABV. It's also scarily drinkable - for 60.6%, it goes down VERY easily. Perhaps that's just my love of Ardmore speaking. Either way, this is a fabulous dram.
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