Whisky: Ardmore 10 Year (2009), Single Cask Nation for Roma Wines & Liquor

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 58.8%

Cask: First Fill Bourbon Hogshead

Age: 10 Years (Distilled Dec. 2009, Bottled Aug. 2020)

Nose: Burnt citrus and pine cleared the sinuses as camphor and slate-stone drifted out of the glass. Old campfires and hot springs emerged with hints of burnt lumber, salt, and mineral water—a charcoal hut in the forest with traces of gamey meat and soot.

Palate:  Medium-bodied with charred pine, citrus, and stoney minerality notes. The palate closely matched the nose with slightly acrid burnt pine wood, coal dust, and white pepper. Lemon cleansed the palate as mineral-stone notes of slate, charcoal, and hot springs rose to the top. There were notions of a charcoal hut in the woods with soot, lumber, and hints of peppery-licorice spice. A few drops of water brought out more charred lemon and fennel root pastries with a more potent pepper on the finish.

Finish: Lingering notes of citrus, soot, and licorice.

Score: 6

Mental Image: “Ethan Brand,” by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Notes: It is not often that the flavor profile of a dram matches its aroma so closely. For this slightly acrid, but certainly sweet, young Ardmore from Single Cask Nation, the palate was a mirror of the nose.

I enjoyed the intense minerality that carried through as an undercurrent to the campfire and citrus. The minerality left me imagining a Collier’s hut in the woods and rereading Hawthorne’s tale of the lime-stoker Ethan Brand and his search for unpardonable sin. Hints of game came through prominently on the nose (stewed squirrel, if you must know), though a peppery finish replaced those notes on the palate.

Overall, with a good structure and nice viscosity, this dram would have scored a point or two higher if it had just a bit more depth. A few drops of water brought out more citrus and confectioner sugar while pushing the spice further to the backend— water left the dram a bit saccharine for my taste. A pleasant young punchy Ardmore that got me to reread a favorite short story. It reminded me a fair bit of the 10 Year bottled by Morrison and MacKay for r/scotch.Image Credit: Roma Wines