A quick note before anything else. This week, five of my LMDW Artist Series reviews were done with industry samples provided free of charge and without any pesky strings attached; this message precedes each of those reviews. As ever, I am unsure if that led me to grade harder or easier, but I prefer ant entanglements to be upfront. For more, check out the ethics statement we use on Maltrunners.com.

Whisky: Ardmore 13 Year (2009), LMDW Artist #13 Cask 90909872

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 56.8%

Cask: Bourbon

Age: 13 Years (Distilled 2009, Bottled 2023)

Nose: Sweet smoke and minerals, dry vegetation, metallic tinged tropical fruits and meat; soft brine with tar and dried grass.

Palate: Medium-bodied, oily, acrid and sweet, hot metal and tar, a touch of asphalt, more subtle grilled fruits and meats, more brine and minerals at the end.

Finish: Medium-length with fruit, smoke, and dried grass.

Score: 6-7 (79)

Mental Image: Beach Park Repaving Project

Narrative & Notes: Gentle, sweet smoke and sandy trails lined by Cook pine trees led to hot grills with caramelized pineapple and ham ready to serve. Grilled fruits and salty meat lingered with a touch of tar and roofing felt— a buffet of grilled treats under a hastily built beach shack. Medium-bodied and oily with a gradual evolution from acrid to sweet, phenolic to salty. Hot metal and tar stood out like a grill on new asphalt with hints of grilled pineapple and pork. More green mango and melon arrived toward the end with a touch of brine and salty beach sand.  The finish was medium-length with a fruit, smoke, and dried grass.

Classic Ardmore notes of grill smoke, tar, fruits, and beachside bungalows were all present on this well-composed, standard-issue malt.  There was nothing off or exceptional about it, it was simply well-balanced with all the elements I expect from the peated Highland staple.  A few drops of water helped push through more of the tropical fruits on the palate and gave this an extra surprise for those patient enough, or willing to add just a touch of water to break up some of the initial phenolic grip.

Overall, a few notches above similar aged Ardmore in price and quality.