When the world of Islay whiskies goes price mad, there are few places left to turn for good value peated whiskies— lost amongst the Highlands, because surely Beam-Suntory has long forgotten it owns it, sits Ardmore distillery. One of the fine bastions of good value for peated whiskies. Today, a teenager distilled in the early 2000s and bottled in 2015, just a handful of years… I mean, what, ten years ago. Where does the time go?

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Whisky: Ardmore 14 Year (2000), Asta Morris AM 042

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 51.3%

Cask: Bourbon Cask

Age: 14 Years (Distilled 2000, Bottled 2015)

Notes: Burning mint and bundles of cilantro arrived on a fresh, herbal and gentle aroma with a cotton candy sweetness and hints of caramel pudding. Cattle ponds on the prairie came to mind as I wandered among wild flowers, musty earth, old charred wood, cattails, and blooming water plants. More malted barley and grains appeared with time, distinctly reminding me of being on a musty malting floor. Light-bodied and oily on the palate, the flavor profile was grassy and sweet with deeper notes of malted grains and honey sweetness. Wispy smoke lingered in the background with dry grasses and dusty earth. The finish was medium-length with citrusy sugars and a kiss of smoke.

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Score: 6 (77)

Mental Image: Field Snacks on the Tall Grass

Conclusion: The aroma of this whisky was wonderfully distinctive and fascinating— clearly evocative based on the description I ended up with, but it fell short on the palate which was exceptionally light and fragile. It had a wonderful oily quality, which lent it an almost textural waxiness by the end of the glass, but it lacked much body, and the flavors remained frustratingly shallow considering the wonderful variations in the aroma. Overall, a pleasant sniffing whisky.