Whisky: Ardmore 22 Year (1997) SMWS 66.168 “Wafts you to heaven”

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 51.6%

Cask: Refill Bourbon Hogshead

Age: 22 Years (Distilled 23 Oct. 1997)

Nose: Sand, tar, salt, tropical fruit, herbal, burning coconut husk, coconut meat, charred citrus rind.

Palate: Medium-bodied, citrus, grass, yeasty dough, toasted sesame, a kiss of salt, more tropical fruit with time, grassy pandan sugar, mellow herbal funk.

Finish: Longer and lingering with hints of charred beach debris, tropical fruit, and salt.

Score: 7+

Mental Image: Pandan Mojito

Narrative & Notes: The aroma was coastal and fruity with wave-washed beach sand, tar balls, and salt-crusted driftwood. Tropical fruits followed closely behind as longan, guava, calamari, and tangerine paired with vanilla and soft herbal smoke. Further in were notes of burning coconut husks by the roadside and coolers of chilled coconut flesh, which sometimes appeared more like toasted coconut and caramel candies. A toasted citrus note, charred orange peel perhaps, gave the fleeting impression of an old-fashioned. The palate was medium-bodied and full of grassy sweetness, citrus, and a mellow yeasty found that turned a tad sour on the finish. Toasted sesame seeds with a kiss of salt lent a savory edge to the mid-palate before tropical fruits arrived in all their glory; guava led the way with pandan jellies and a musty herbal mint following. The finish was long with mellow notions of charred beach debris, tropical fruit, and salt.

I am not sure this carried me all the way to heaven, but it was an absolutely delicious mature Ardmore. With one big exception, I have loved this SMWS release's sibling casks. The one I disliked dialed up the intensity of some of these slightly yeasty, herbal, sour funk notes on the finish. Those same notes were definitely present in this whisky; however, they sat deeper in the background and were more integrated into the overall experience.

Overall, I dug it and bought a sibling cask to this when it went on discount. Ardmore remains a relatively lesser-known distillery where one can still find impressive age statements and quality peat at an attractive price.

Image Credit: SMWSA