I initially tried this blind and thought it seemed on the young side, maybe 10 Years old and from a fruity Speyside or Highland distillery.  That left dozens of possibilities and I thought it felt something like a Ben Nevis or Glen Elgin, but neither of those really fit the tobacco leaf and cigar box elements that came through later. Could this have been peated instead? Perhaps, but those fruits came through so strong.  So what was in my glass?

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Whisky: Ardmore 24 Year (1997), Single Malts of Scotland Cask 901293

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 51.7%

Cask: Hogshead

Age: 24 Years (Distilled 23 Oct. 1997, Bottled 8 Aug. 2022)

Notes: Fruity candies arrived with green apple and hints of gauva— a grab bag of green colored hard candies to be enjoyed on the beach. With a touch of spirited pepper, this felt youthful and lively with bundles of twigs, sun-bleached coral, river stones, twine, and sandpaper providing a woody and mineral undercurrent to the fruits. Medium-bodied, though on the lighter end, the palate was similar with an initial gust of guava, melon, and green apple candies. Spirited pepper came next with stacks of paper and tobacco leaf, which gradually shifted toward cigar boxes and spice drawers: an apothecary’s outfit of medicinal herbs and rubs. A kiss of smoke and spice box at the end offered just a hint of salinity. The finish was medium-length with a pleasant peppery tingle, paper wrappers, and hard candies.

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Score: 6-7 (80)

Mental Image: Apothecary’s Hidden Hard Candy Drawer

Conclusion: I was way off on my guess. As you no doubt saw on the title of the post, this was in fact a 24 Year Ardmore, which explains where some of those papery and tobacco-like notes were coming from— it was the peat. Yet the peat here was softened by age and virtually invisible on the aroma; even knowing what this was when I came back to it a few weeks later, it was still fruity and mineral. The palate did showcase some of the peat, which did feel more prominent once I was looking for it, but I was still surprised at how fruity this was. Overall, I prefer my older Ardmore a bit dirtier and more complex, but this had a great evolution and made for an enjoyable pour.