Ardmore 27 Year (SMWS 66.260 "Post-Bonfire Bath Bomb")

 

Another SMWS outturn, another one of those sister casks of Ardmore that have been solid gold so far. I don't know when this will run out, but good lord have these been good: sherry finish, red wine finish (this one), all ex-bourbon, you name it, these have been stellar.

 

Here are the official notes: 

After 24 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we decanted this into a second fill 300-litre ex-cabernet sauvignon cask. On the nose we had pick 'n' mix on bonfire night before adjourning to our antique-filled stately home for a citrus and apple bath bomb experience. On the palate, we returned to the bonfire, with gentle smoke suffusing our repast of barbecued fish with watermelon salsa, grilled peach and berry-studded panettone. The reduced nose was an impressive spread of fruits – chinotto, apple, pineapple and melon, with lavender honey and shortbread – with a cigar box close by. The palate now found coconut, stewed plums and rosemary flowers.

Well, this is a great and interesting list of items: apple bath bombs? Bonfire with watermelon salsa?? Berry-studded panettone???

 Super curious. This was, as mentioned, finished in a Cabernet Sauvignon cask after 24 years in ex-bourbon; bottled at 51.3%. Ardmore is my favorite distillery and I have high hopes: 

Nose: Classical Ardmore - old cigarettes, baked apple, motor oil funk, orange-scented candle (waxy citrus), week-old flowers, and maybe the barest hint of red wine tannins. That also might be the power of suggestion, since I know it has a Cab Sav finish. 

With a lot of time in the glass: A little bit more fragrant wood smoke comes out, but it's largely the same. The baked apple and the motor oil, like a lot of old Ardmore, are the strongest notes. 

Mouthfeel: VERY soft entry here - no alcohol burn at all. Completely integrated. Light body, silky. 

Palate: Gentle smoke for days - almost like day-old smoke, the remnants of a bonfire. 

But what is really beautiful here are the amazing flavors that follow the smoke - now I understand the bath bomb reference that SMWS gave this: watermelon Jolly Rancher candies (very distinct), coconut lotion, blueberries, vanilla ice cream. The funky qualities on the nose more or less fall away into a vague underpinning. 

This is very delicate. Flowers, scented chalk, bubble gum, and more hints of red wine. Grilled pineapple is hinted at. Honeydew. Lavender honey is a great pull by the tasting crew at SMWS - that's right on the money. Lots and lots of things happening here. 

Finish: Here's where I get the cigar box, along with big floral arrangements, candle wax, apple, cigar smoke. A long, soft, soft finish. 

Verdict: Of all these 25+ year Ardmores that SMWS has released, this is my favorite. The Cab Sav has rounded and balanced this wonderfully and it just unrolls layer after layer after layer of delicious flavor. If you don't mind the underlying motor oil / cigarette funk, this is incredible stuff. Apex Highland-style scotch whisky.