Whisky: Ardmore 21 Year (1977) 100th Anniversary Bottling

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 43%

Cask: Oak

Age: 21 Years (Distilled 1977, Bottled 1999)

Nose: Musty stewed fruits, burning candle wicks, and balsamic; dates and figs in syrup, aromatic lacquered wood and resins, cigar boxes, and more subtle notions of an auto body shop.

Palate: Medium to light-bodied, oily, musty and rich with dried figs and stewed plums, subtle balsamic vinegar and lacquered wood; gradual shift toward herbal tobacco and slightly burned caramel, a touch flinty and mineral with dirtier hints of an old garage.

Finish: Medium-length with memories of dried fruits and fresh cut grass.

Score: 7 (85)

Mental Image: Iron Chef Battle: Balsamico

Narrative & Notes: I initially tried this blind as part of an online whisky group mystery advent calendar last year, but took my time returning to it again. The aroma and palate felt sherried and old— refined and subtle in a way that so many of the modern sherry monsters lack. Balsamic appeared on the nose and palate, a delightful twist that pulled some of the stewed fruits in a more savory direction, or carried savory earthy notes back toward dessert— it was the keystone.

I had no idea what to guess for this and just pegged it as an older Longmorn with a sherry maturation; it reminded me a bit of a really old 60s or 70s whisky, not bottled at cask strength.  I was close— kind of.  It turns out this was a 1977 Ardmore bottled for the distillery’s 100th anniversary in 1999 and it was definitely sherried, even if the bottle did not list any specific cask.

Overall, a real Highland classic. The aroma was complex and delightful, with the flavor profile nearly as varied and rich on the palate.  I wish the whisky were a bit more robust and I found some of the notes near the end to be a touch bitter, but it otherwise a delightfully old school malt.