Whisky: Ardmore 24 Year (1997), WhiskySponge No. 76

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 52.4%

Cask: Refill Hogshead

Age: 24 Years (Distilled 1997, Bottled 2022)

Nose: Salty, herbal, and earthy, mint, basil, lime, soot, dried grass with subtle petrichor.

Palate: Medium-bodied and rich, dusty earth, petrichor, grassy and herbal, charred citrus, ginger root, peppery finish.

Finish: Medium-length and mellow with sooty hints of fruit and salt.

Score: 6

Mental Image: Mohave Mojito Stand Mirage

Narrative & Notes: An herbal minty mojito appeared with lime, mint, and basil like a mirage in a coastal desert of crisp maritime salt, dried grass, and sweet petrichor. Soot lingered on the edges with ginger, watch oil, and polished brass, delivering a mineral-metallic depth. Medium-bodied and rich with dusty dry earth, petrichor galore, and tons of dry grassy-herbal thistle and sagebrush. Charred citrus rind and earthy ginger root returned the flavor to cocktail hour with lime and Thai basil, while earth and a peppery spice prickled at the end. The finish was medium-length and mellow with sooty hints of fruit and salt.

I liked this, though I also thought this was a perfect example of whisky that might be more interesting than strictly good. It was not fatally flawed or so dour as that, but it was not as refined and complex as I expected for an Ardmore that spent nearly two and a half decades in oak. It was an interesting whisky, never dull, with an unexpectedly herbal and earthy aroma that largely carried through to the palate as well. I have encountered some herbal-grassy Ardmore before, but never something with so much mint or earthy petrichor. I initially scored this a bit lower, but when I revisited it, I remembered how much I love weird whiskies and revised a few points upward.

Overall, while I would not reach for this bottle often, not when I am alone, it was the perfect, slightly weird, unique whisky I love to pour for friends. I thought this paired beautifully with jalapeño flavored Cheez-Its the one time I inadvertently paired them.

Image Credit: Decadent Drinks