I am starting to think the sweet spot for Ardmore is in the younger 12–22 year range, although this is still a capable dram.
Ardmore 1997 Whisky Nerds 24 Year Old / 49.6% ABV
Tasted neat
This Ardmore from indie bottler Whiskey Nerds was distilled at Ardmore on 11/06/1997 and bottled 10/28/2022 from ex-bourbon hogshead #901451. This is one of just 258 bottles, and probably cask strength / NCF? The label doesn’t say.
- Color: 1.3 (russet)
- Nose: custard-filled glazed doughnut, seaweed, a little peat smoke, fuji apple, bubble gum, and grass
- Taste: honey, apple peel, a little oak, strawberries, candlewax, and cut grass
- Finish: long, intensely smokey and creamy
A few more years in the cask has rounded this Ardmore out quite a bit, it doesn’t have the same punchy intensity that younger bottles have, but it’s still undeniably Ardmore. There is a bit of a lessening, and in the mouth it’s a bit of a let-down given the current aftermarket prices and unavailability.
Rating: 6/10
