Ardmore 2010 9 YO

Ardmore 2010 9 YO, 59.5 %

It is not very often I get to review whisky from Highland distillery Ardmore. This is predominantly a peated whisky, which is not all that common in the Highland region. This particular expression, the Ardmore 2010 9 YO, is released by independent boittler A.D. Rattray. It is a part of a single cask (so not a full cask) bottled exclusively for their Norwegian importer Daracha.

This whisky was distilled on 2010-07-27, matured in a single bourbon barrel (cask #804533), and bottled on 2019-09-16. The total outturn for Daracha’s part of the cask is 60 bottles.

You can buy the Ardmore 2010 9 YO in Norway starting tomorrow at NOK 979 (1387501).

Nose: Dark and dry wood smoke. Dry chocolate, malt, and some vanilla.

Taste: Rich and full bodied. Surprisingly sweet upfront, then a wave of peppery ashes and even gunpowder (no funkiness though). Dry as well now. Some fruitiness in the back.

Finish: Medium long finish. Weird sweetness now, sort of off kilter, but still nice. Hints of artificial sweetener towards the end.

Comment: Not sure what hit me, but it was fun while it lasted!

Score 86/100

Sláinte!
- Thomas