The previous Ardmore I had from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society ("SMWS") was a super chocolate bomb due to a really potent finish in a Trinidadian rum cask. Lovely stuff. This Ardmore - sequentially, the next cask they picked up from Ardmore - is finished in a PX sherry cask, so I'm hopeful for another good marriage of flavors.
Ardmore is my "pet" distillery - easily my favorite, I try to acquire every worthwhile Ardmore I can get my hands on. Almost every SMWS release has been interesting and worth my time, even though I semi-suspect that Beam Suntory mostly sells the off-profile casks. I will say that the differentiation in flavors between the lightly peated Ardmores and the heavily peated Ardmores is quite wide. This appeals to me, as I don't necessarily value "consistency" compared to, say, "interesting."
Anyway, here are the official notes:
A mighty and immediate nose that conjured suggestions of tar-dipped game meats, salted Dutch liquorice and resinous fir woods smouldering to embers, plus herbal ointments, rich umami paste, iodine drops, old leather shoes, yeast extract and smoked duck. The farmyard colliding with the bodega in the most entertaining fashion. Some water opened up notes of blackcurrants, sooty tones, natural tar extracts, dried seaweed and black olives; saltier and more savoury vibes overall. The neat palate displayed a wonderfully thick and syrupy natural tar flavour, before bramble jam, smouldering wood embers, game meats, treacle and smoked blood orange. Water brought out smoked black teas, German rauchbiers, nutmeg, dried kelp, charred brisket and oily, lightly grubby peat smoke. Matured for 12 years in a bourbon hogshead before being transferred to a first fill American oak Pedro Ximénez hogshead.
Excellent description: tar, savory flavors, fir (!), umami, leather, etc ... all sound enchanting! Bottled at 59.4% ABV, let's see how this sherry finish comes across:
Nose: Really enticing. Definitely sherry-influenced, but contains a lot of those "dirty Ardmore industrial" notes: smoke, tea, wood oil, leather, salted caramel, motor oil, duck/game meat, olives, and balsamic vinegar. Rich, and extremely well balanced. 15 years seems to be the perfect age for this.
Mouthfeel: Medium, oily.
Palate: The alcohol arrives first in a big hit, but subsides upon further sips. After that: tar, wood, game meat, molasses, orange marmalade, cigarettes/cigars, balsamic vinegar, and old, shiny leather. Tea leaves and cherry cola. Orange peel. It's a long development and pretty rich stuff. A very good Ardmore.
Finish: Rancio/balsamic, spent tea leaves, cola nut, almonds, smoke. Medium length.
Verdict: Another wonderful Ardmore. Anyone reading this should know that I'm heavily biased - I think Ardmore is the quintessential Highland scotch, and is my favorite distiller of spirits (any kind) in the world. This is a very good Ardmore.
I've reviewed about 20 Ardmore bottles to date, mostly independent bottlers, and I would put this in the upper third. The sherry is wonderfully integrated - lots of savory notes, a few sweet ones - that pair hand-in-hand with the Ardmore identity. Worth buying.
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