Whisky: Ardmore 9 Year (2009), LMDW Artist Collective 3.6

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 43%

Cask: Ex-Laphroaig Casks

Age: 9 Years (Distilled 2009, Bottled 2019)

Nose: Sweet smoke— metallic at times with iron, cordite and spent shells, a touch of creosote, dried grass, green wood, and kindling, subtle tonka bean and pineapple in the background with a mellow salinity.

Palate: Light-bodied, dried grass opened with mellow smoke and green wood, a touch acrid at times and metallic with rusted iron and corrugated sheet metal, subtle salt and minerals, occasionally bitter toward the end with pithy citrus.

Finish: Medium-length and slightly drying with citrus and minerals.

Score: 6 (77)

Mental Image: Impressionist Writer Tweets Their Bali Vacation

Narrative & Notes: The pleasantly smokey and metallic aroma opened with a bang as old fireworks and spent shells appeared while sweeter notions of vanilla-leaning tonka beans and pineapples developed in the background. I was charged up and excited after the aroma— but found the palate to be a bit of a disappointment.  The whisky felt neutered sometimes, so it was not surprising to discover that it was not cask strength. The flavors felt muddled and not always well-defined after some acrid smoke and metal at the onset and then more pithy citrus at the end.  There was some bitterness, though it felt relatively well integrated with everything else.

Overall, not a bad sipping scotch, especially when you want something a bit smoky but otherwise mild enough to drift into the background of the evening. It reminded me a bit of the Ailsa Bay Land Cask, though I know my buddy Scotch&Sheen will find that absurd.

Image Credit: Scotch & Sheen (Check out his Review as well)