Tag Archives: Ardmore

BMC Indie Bottlers: Ardmore 1993 Gordon Macphail

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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?

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BMC Indie Bottlers: Benrinnes, Ardmore, Tomatin

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Whilst the cat is away, the mice will play! At least that was the case with our Bombay Malt & Cigar gents who enjoyed a trio of whiskies from independent bottlers without me.

Kindly, they decided to share a generous sample of each! They made their way to me in late March and were sampled in two sittings in early April.

The theme was Highland “independents” from two different well-known independent bottlers – Signatory and Gordon & Macphail, mostly acquired via La Maison du Whisky:

Now… I wasn’t going to do this as a simple 1, 2, 3 tasting. Nope! I just so happened to have with me another Benrinnes, recently opened. And was able to dig up from the Whisky samples archive a neglected Ardmore from North Star Spirits.

With the Tomatin I had nothing to compare, so am simply sharing here…

It has been some time since I sat down properly with a whisky from Tomatin.

My last experience with Tomatin was also bottled by Gordon & Macphail. It was a mere sniff swish back at Paris Whisky Live in 2022 – part of introducing their Discovery series. I actually rather enjoyed that one – it had a lovely fruity quality.

This particular expression was part of Gordon & Macphail’s now retired “Reserve” collection. “Reserve” was their previous entry-level range, replaced in 2018 by the “Discovery” series. In this case, it was bottled specifically for La Maison du Whisky.

Tomatin Reserve 8 year 2007–2015 ABV unknown

  • Nose – Marshmallows and acetone, then bananas and caramel
  • Palate – Generic fruit. Then it has a spice bite! Then sweet. A bit thin.
  • Finish – Curious, dry

In short, it had little in common with the more recent Discovery expression. And was honestly a disappointment.

I couldn’t see the ABV but it came across as quite active and potentially higher, whereas typically the “Reserve” range was a lower ABV – I’ve come across some bottled at 40%.

I set it aside, concluding perhaps I simply wasn’t in the mood for a malt, and thought to try again another evening. I didn’t. Which also says something about this dram.

What about other Tomatin experiences? From “Original Bottlings” there was a trio of Legacy 43%,12 year 43%, 14 year Port Wood 46%.

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Chorlton – Ardmore 12 year 60.7%

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After years, I was back in my hometown of Winnipeg for my birthday. Unless I’m mistaken it would have been 21 years since I last celebrated in Canada – a fine whisky age!

Which brings me to this particular Chorlton… Knowing that I would be joining The Cabinet for an evening of whiskies the day after my birthday, I decided to bring two whiskies this time. One for the coastal peaty lads (Staoisha) and one just because it piqued my curiosity.

And naturally, as there were no rules about only bringing closed bottles, I decided to open this the night before and share with my Aunt and Uncle who have their own whisky-tasting group in Fort Francis, together with friends who enjoy a good dram or two. It was a marvelously malty and merry way to celebrate together after years!

And why did this particularly Ardmore grab my attention? It was matured in a refill barrique that (so David was told) originally held sherry. And turned out to be a bit leaky… leading to a concentrated combination of sherry and peat. Over the years, I’ve had a few Ardmores, mostly from independent bottlers, and find they range from gentle balanced peat to more powerful stuff!

I didn’t take tasting notes on my birthday but recall most of the reactions tended towards “tasty stuff!” And quite a serious dent was made in the bottle… sorry lads!

Ardmore 12 year (2022) 60.7% 196 Bottles

  • Nose – Mmmmm… a lovely dark coffee aroma, some leather… later joined by smoked meats and maple. Yum! Definitely a “sniffing” dram – one where the warm sweet peat aromas always rewarded
  • Palate – Quite dry at first, it rolled around the palate with rich flavours, pepper and peat, more smoked meat and sweet chocolate, gorgeous, rich, and rewarding
  • Finish – Lingers
  • Water – Oh lovely stuff, rounds out

For some, it was perfect “as is” with the intense elements needing no dilution. For others, a splash of water opened it up, bringing out the fruity side, softening and rounding the approach.

For me, the peat was a bit “peek-a-boo” in character. At times it was quite pronounced – particularly on the palate. And then wait a bit to find that sweet led the way with only a hint of peat.

Put simply – this Ardmore was simply delicious! It was one indulgent dram. Best enjoyed slowly, take a sip, savour the aromas in the glass, and chat some more before returning to the glass. I probably could have spent the entire evening just with this one!

Most importantly, I was so happy to be able to share this Chorlton in Winnipeg!

And what does David have to say?

The nose is a balance of sweet, savoury and smoky. Honey-roast ham, sweet tobacco, hazelnut nougat and maybe a hint of a wee kipper. In the background there are touches of dark chocolate and coffee, and some slightly waxy and medicinal bits and bobs (coal tar, for sure). Adding water makes everything softer, with this almost bubblegum fruitiness popping up, something that I’ve found in a few Ardmores (possible it’s just me!).

The palate is more peaty than you’d expect from the nose, with a thick mouthfeel. Salt and pepper at first, then honey on salted-buttered toast, smoked rye, dark chocolate and orange, and liquorice root.

Really characterful stuff, this, with the cask adding just enough richness and sweetness to round everything off nicely. Annoyingly we only got 196 bottles from this cask at 60.7%, but they’re still available here for a reasonable £69.50 each.

And no David, you were not alone in finding the bubble gum fruitiness with water!

Whilst released by Chorlton as part of David’s La Nouvelle Vague in December 2022, I waited until it became available via WhiskyBase in Europe. Which meant I purchased it in July 2023 for Eur 73 plus tax + shipping. In my books – this is quite reasonable for such a rare and interesting whisky!

What about other Ardmore experiences?

And here are a few more Chorlton La Nouvelle Vague series:

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The Cabinet “Alt Islay” Evening

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Winnipeg is where I grew up. It is also where I was first introduced to whisky. So it is fitting that in my wintery November trip home, I took some time out to enjoy a dram or two with Winnipeg whisky aficionados – aka having a small guest appearance at The Cabinet.

Whilst the lads normally sample 3 to 4 whiskies, I kind of derailed that plan by bringing three! I also disrupted the theme by bringing a lightly peated Highland into the mix of Islays – however, the Ardmore was just too special and simply had to be shared!

What did we try?

Waiting in the wings was an open Laphroig, however, we were clearly not up for the challenge of a 6th whisky! Which is a good thing – as moderation in malts is best.

Over the course of two hours, we made our way through the five whiskies and cheese, giant grapes, and taco chips. The conversation flowed with tales of travel adventures, film, and fiction, and as the whisky glasses clinked, time slipped away in the sheer enjoyment of a good dram or two with fellow appreciators.

And just like that, our wintery Winnipeg evening over whisky was over. Thanks again for the hospitality!

PS – Check out The Cabinet‘s take on our evening together here: Alt Islay. Thanks again gents!

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Remarkable Gordon + Macphail Whisky Ranges

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Gordon & Macphail is in a class of their own – with a 125-year history – they are no mere “indie bottler”… With long-term relationships with distilleries, an impressive set-up of their own casks, legendary warehouses with an exceptional range of old and very rare whiskies, this is one area at any whisky show you shouldn’t miss!

So what did we try at the London Whisky Show?

We began with the Discovery range, a newer series launched to introduce accessible, affordable single malts to the world:

  • Green for ex-bourbon casks – Glenallachie 14 year 43% – This ex-bourbon cask was a nice contrast to the current GlenAllachie sherry or cask finish styles
  • Purple for ex-sherry casks – Bunnahabhain 11 year 43% – A solid expression
  • Grey/off-white for smokey/peaty – Caol Ila 13 year 43% – Skipped as was a bit early for peat!

We then progressed to the Gordon & Macphail’s Distillery Labels with Ardmore with a whiff of sea breeze, soft peat, and sweet!

From there, we got serious with their Connoisseurs Choice range, which has been a consistent series from Gordon & Macphail since 1968. We’ve tried many remarkable drams in this series which showcases various distillery spirits matured in Gordon & Macphail’s own barrels. At Whisky Live 2022, we tried:

We thought this would be the end of our journey…. however then our fabulous Gordon & Macphail’s guide shared a pair from their exceptionally rare Private Collection with:

Wow, wow, wow! What an amazing journey through some fabulous whiskies! And a very clear reminder of why Gordon & Macphail are worthy of slowing down and spending time exploring…

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London Whisky Show – Gordon + Macphail Distillery Labels Ardmore

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Next up in our Gordon & Macphail tastings at the London Whisky Show were offerings from their Distillery Labels range…

So far from this series, we had a tasting with the Mortlach 15, and I tried their Ardmore and Linkwood at Whisky Live Singapore in 2017. I later acquired the Linkwood 15 year, which is patiently waiting at home in Mumbai for the right tasting opportunity, and the Glenbergie 15 year which is with me in Nurnberg.

However, what did Gordon & Macphail offer from their Distillery Labels range in Oct 2022?

Ardmore (2000/2021) 46% (G&MP Distillery Range)

  • Nose – Starts off with a fresh sea breeze with seaweed and sea salt, with a good dash of smoke and citrus
  • Palate – Oh… what a lovely round soft peat! With the fruits shifting from citrus to apple sauce, then a nice creamy ‘roll around’ your tongue yumminess
  • Finish – Surprisingly strong spice – particularly cracked black peppers – nice!

How delightful! Like all our other sampling, I intended to only sniff, swish, and spit this one… but I must confess, I may have missed that last step! I would certainly be interested in giving this one more time and attention on another occasion….

What more do we know? Our friendly guide shared this Ardmore had the benefit of both ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks, currently retailing for approx GBP 150.

And what do the official Gordon & Macphail official tasting notes say?

  • Nose – Juicy BLOOD ORANGE and CANDIED APPLE aromas combine with a subtle hint of VANILLA. SMOKE features prominently alongside tart GRAPEFRUIT and LEMON PEEL.
  • Taste – Smoky BONFIRE EMBERS complement BAKED APPLE and sweet ORANGE ZEST. Light and spicy; BLACK PEPPER develops alongside flavours of MILK CHOCOLATE with an undertone of ANISEED.
  • Finish – A light and medium-bodied finish with lingering SMOKE and COCOA POWDER. 

As shared, Gordon & Macphail is a “must” stop at any Whisky Festival! If you are curious about previous experiences, read on….

So then… where did our whisky wanderings take us next?? Why on to the Connoisseurs Choice range!!

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The Whisky Warehouse No. 8 – Ardmore 16 year

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When I think of Ardmore, I tend to think of a lightly peated Highland dram… In many cases, I’ve had only fleeting sips rather than proper tasting… or it has been on offer at a social gathering, leaving a generally pleasant impression. So was looking forward to sitting down and giving an Ardmore some proper focus and attention… Even better, to have company with tasting cohorts joining virtually from Paris on a fine Friday evening in March 2021.

Here’s what we discovered….

Ardmore 16 year (May 2000 / Feb 2017) Bourbon Barrel Cask W80226, 52.3% 159 Bottles

  • Nose – Apricots, walnuts, pineapple and banana, vanilla flambe, some black current or black rasperry, a mix of fresh herbs like myrtle, black old fashioned licorice…
  • Palate – Oh yum! Fabulous on the tongue, cinnamon spice, butter brioche, nuts
  • Finish – A lovely finish – long, strong and very tasty
  • Water – The nose again became fruitier, tobacco leaf, hint of ajwain

Overall there was quite a ‘traditional’ style, with aromas that are less sweet, more savoury in a satisfying way. The kind of dram you would enjoy coming in from the cold like Après ski!

We set it aside and carried on tasting the others in our miniature set… and returned to find it was less fruity but still fabulous, with a nice juniper hint joining the buttery cinnamon spice. It was interesting enough to prompt checking availability of a full bottle – alas it seems out of stock – and like most of these single cask independent bottles, once you missed your chance, that is it!

Curious about other Ardmore experiences?

My Whisky Warehouse “Last Chance” set also contained:

What about prior explorations from Whisky Warehouse No. 8? Here’s our growing list:

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Peaty Highlander – Aird Mhor 8 year 55.3%

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Sound it out… “Aird Mhor” and you realize perhaps this might be “Ardmore”… and sure enough it is!

Our Whisky Ladies session dove straight into this cask strength offering from the Single Malts of Scotland range bottled by Speciality Drinks. It was purchased at their Whisky Exchange Covent Garden store under the guidance of Duncan.

So what did we think?

Aird Mhor 8 year (1 Dec 2009 / 25 June 2018) Cask 707910 55.3% 261 Bottles

  • Colour – Golden
  • Nose – Gentle smoke, leather, wood, citrus, orange, as it opened became increasingly sweet
  • Palate – Spice, tobacco, warm, 2nd sip was like an echo of Laphroaig, calming, sweet
  • Finish – Long finish with a bit of liquorice and vanilla
  • Water – No surprise it initially ramped up the spice, but when it settled down it brought out a nicely nutty quality, helped balance it out a bit, with it a bit oily on the palate

This one was a bit curious and not for everyone. Going straight from zero to full cask strength was also an adjustment.. though one our Whisky Ladies can easily make!

One remarked this whisky was a bit of an “attention seeker” with a fierceness and forcefulness that demanded notice. In this respect, it showed its youthful enthusiasm.

We discovered that the hint of Laphroaig peat came from the Ardmore being matured in ex Laphroaig barrel.

It wasn’t complicated and yet it provoked a clear divide between those who enjoyed and those who didn’t care for it so much.

Apparently Mogambo also has something to say!

Aird Mhor + Mogambo courtesy DevPaula

What did the folks at The Whisky Exchange have to say?

A smoky dram from Aird Mhor (aka Ardmore distillery). While nearby distilleries are better known for unpeated whisky, Ardmore bucks the trend, making a powerful and smoky dram. This single-cask bottling from The Single Malts of Scotland – distilled on 1 December 2009 and bottled at years old on 25 June 2018 – is a classic, with punchy smoke, honey and lemon.

I must say, I rather think “punchy smoke, honey and lemon” is a rather good way to describe this one!

What else did we sample in our Whisky Ladies Peaty Highland drams evening?

And what else have I explored from Ardmore?

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LMdW Artist #8 – Ardmore 10 year 60.3%

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We were nearly through our exploration of the full range of the new La Maison du Whisky Artist # 8.

Back to the non-sherry drams and shifting again back to peat… with Ardmore and a label that made me think of wandering through a chilled winter forest.

Ardmore 10 year (2008/2018) Cask #800168 60.3% (233 bottles)

  • Nose – Citrus, herbal, then shifts into sweet spices, classic
  • Palate – Light spice and again quite herbal, traditional styled peat
  • Finish – Long, tobacco

I will admit by this point, I had been sniffing and swishing through 8 drams. Did this one stand out? Not exceptionally so. Particularly after the powerful Bowmore.

That doesn’t mean it wasn’t a fine dram – it certainly had some interesting qualities however a fleeting sip leaves only an impression than full fledged proper tasting. And I have a feeling to properly appreciate this Ardmore, one would need to slow down to give it full attention and due consideration.

As for a ball park on cost? In Singapore, this bottle would be SGD 300 at La Maison du Whisky.

And what do the folks there have to say?

  • Nose – Both powerful and unctuous. So Ardmore, the first nose does not go with the back of the spoon and we propose to discover a peat trimmed with billhooks. Very chocolaty and spicy (cloves, nutmeg), this peat impregnates the aromatic palette. In the background, some white flowers and peppers (Cayenne) reinforce its heady character. To be noted, its beautiful herbaceous and busty register (verbena, sage).
  • Palate – Rich, dense. In tune with the nose, the attack on the palate is full of vivacity. Whole blocks of peat literally fall down the walls of the palace. At the same time, coconut and juicy pears release their sweet juices and constantly refresh the taste buds. The mid-palate is marked by various essential oils (savory, rosemary). Gradually, a diaphanous smoke starts to intensify.
  • Finish – Silky, nourished. Gourmet, it evokes a delicious milk pie. As it goes, it becomes more and more herbaceous (green malt) and saline. Pink berries and cloves give it the tonicity that will allow it to finish in beauty on notes of red fruits (raspberry, strawberry). Intensely smoke and ash, the retro-olfaction reveals notes of tobacco and menthol. Fibrous, empty glass pays tribute to malted barley.

—-From LMdW website with an imperfect google translation from French.

La Maison du Whisky Artist #8 sans Sherry

We’ve not had so many Ardmore’s and those that made it to Mumbai were both just this year (2018)!

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Highland Peat – Ardmore Triple Wood Peated 46%

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We closed our tasting evening with the Ardmore…

Our contributor confessed that while she was excited to try, was initially disappointed when she opened the bottle… finding it a bit too dry and somehow lacking a certain something.

Undeterred we merrily poured our glasses, keeping our minds, olfactory senses and taste buds open to the experience….

Here is what we found…

Ardmore Triple Wood Peated 46%

  • Nose – Caramel and peat! It almost reminded of caramel popcorn just slightly overdone… not in bad way though. There was also some light spice, fruit, sweet… one remarked how it smelt like cooked caramelized banana
  • Palate – Light peppery spice, a bit of toast, herbal and aromatic
  • Finish – Some vanilla, dry and again all with a lighter touch
  • Water – None of us were tempted

Overall we found that while yes it was dry, it wasn’t terribly so. The peat also was much more subtle than anticipated – in a nice way.

Why triple wood? It refers to the three different type of casks used to make this whisky – American Barrel, Quarter Cask and Puncheon.

What do the Ardmore folks have to say?

  • Colour – Golden straw, natural honey.
  • Nose – Biscuity cereal notes and the scent of banana underlie the initial nose of ginger, burnt sugar, cherries and honey. A drop of water intensifies the ginger snap biscuit notes with a hint of cinnamon, and soft highland peat smoke.
  • Palate – Light caramelised sugar, toasted barley, and warming, light peat smoke are followed by sweet vanilla custard. Water releases notes of pink peppercorn, and dried fruit flavours (raisin and candid orange peel).
  • Finish – Light with soft peat smoke, lingering pepper and toasted almonds with a well-balanced dry mouth feel.

We didn’t read the tasting notes at the time but they seem rather apt… and suspect we should have tried it once with a bit of water.

What else did we try that evening?

What about other Ardmore’s sampled?

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