It was the battle of the Ardmores and two different independent bottlers! After an absolutely stunning Ardmore a few months earlier from Chorlton, I will admit to being predisposed to enjoy…
I began with the Gordon & Macphail 1993 expression, anticipating it would be a light start at only 43%. This Ardmore bottle is part of their “distillery label” series where they are entrusted to use the Ardmore label, even though the maturation happens under the Gordon & MacPhail roof.
So what did I find?
Ardmore 1993 43% (Gordon & Macphail)
- Nose – Curiously herbal, aromatic, rum sultanas, that become more and more sour, a bit like grapefruit that has gone off
- Palate – Hot! And frankly a bit harsh…. hmm… not at all what I had anticipated. I struggled to get a feel for the elements. Maybe a fleeting hint of fruit? Was the spice black pepper or something else?
- Finish – Heartburn chaser
So the lads warned me this wasn’t a hit. And I have to admit, it wasn’t a winner for me either. Pity. Normally I practically swear by anything from Gordon & MacPhail. It was also not what I would expect for the ABV – typically I find 43% quite approachable. This was not the case here at all!
Unfortunately, I don’t know much more. I think it was the expression bottled in 2008 – making it approximately 15 years. It is hard to say, as I couldn’t find more details!
So let’s shift gears… What about my Ardmore sample from 2018?
To be honest, I had completely forgotten I had it! I was rummaging through my old samples drawer to find more empty bottles to share samples from the current open bottles… and stumbled across this one from North Star. I simply had to open it up again!
Knowing it was peaty, I was prepared… however, it certainly toned down over the years. Which in my books isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Ardmore Peat 8 year (June 2008 / Oct 2016) 58.7% (North Star)
- Nose – Thankfully not as heavy peat, sour cherries. only a hint of BBQ
- Palate – Still has spice, peat and more, an earthy element which is quite comforting
- Finish – Continues to be dry with zest of orange
I always worry about these old samples from years ago. Will there be anything that remains of what once was? Thankfully, with these peaty drams, they tend to be able to stand the test of time a wee bit better… Nearly 6 years later, it still has character and leaves an impression.
So who won the battle? In this case clearly North Star over Gordon & Macphail!
What else prompted this “independent” theme?
- Benrinnes 18 years (27 Feb 1997 – 28 July 2015) Hogshead 46% (Signatory Vintage for La Maison du Whisky)
- Tomatin Reserve 8 year 2007–2015 (Gordon & Macphail for La Maison du Whisky)
And if you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:
- WordPress https://whiskylady.co/
- FaceBook Whisky Lady India – https://www.facebook.com/WhiskyLadyIN
Whisky Lady 