Whisky: Ardmore 11 Year (1994), Single Malts of Scotland Cask 121011

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 60.8%

Cask: Refill Bourbon

Age: 11 Years (Distilled 14 Sept. 1994, Bottled 22 Sept. 2005)

Nose: Fruity with a blanket of metallic smoke; iron and meaty funk of fresh beef prepared for the grill, mango and cherimoya— slightly underripe and not entirely sweetened, baked rhubarb and aniseed with weathered sheets of corrugated tin.

Palate: Medium-bodied and viscous, heady metallic smoke with subtle fruit and charred vegetal sugars; semi-sweet tropical fruits with a tart, unripe quality; aniseed and licorice with more acrid notes of hot coals and ash toward the end.

Finish: Medium-length and balanced between acrid grill smoke, ash, and mellow fruits.

Score: 6 (77)

Mental Image: Smoking Grill-adjacent Forgotten Bowl of Chopped Fruits

Narrative & Notes: I thoroughly enjoyed the aroma and mouthfeel of this whisky— but where did those lovely, meaty, funky notes go on the palate? I was not a fan of the acrid coal ash and aniseed notes at the end. While the finish was balanced, it was almost drying and ashy at times. Truly, it was a tale of two halves as the aroma featured a beautiful bouquet of fruit and meat with a metallic edge that lent the impression of freshly ground beef (I know that will not be appetizing to everyone) and unripened fruits. The palate lost some of those elements, preserving the general aniseed and metallic character while losing some of the distinctiveness of the fruits and just about all the meatiness.

I have had more than my fair share of Ardmore over the years, but this is one of the earliest 90s examples I have encountered. It is the only ‘90s vintage I have tried that has not matured for two decades, so it maintained a robustness and intensity I have never experienced from the era.  Overall, an interesting whisky, but not really one that suited my taste.