Ardmore - Traditional Cask

A relatively low-priced peated single malt with a slight bit of caramel color. Begins with a dry earthy smokiness on the nose. Flavor hits with spicy cinnamon, followed by a long earthy smoky dryness. Slight bits of sweet butterscotch and oak. Finish is extremely dry with a long mineral charcoal smoke on the tongue. This is a rather rough peated whisky. Tasty, but not all that easy to enjoy.

Ardmore was once a distillery on Islay, that merged with Lagavulin in 1835. But today’s Ardmore has nothing to do with the old one and can be found near Huntly in the Highlands, on the border with Speyside. Since its foundation in 1898, it has always used peated malt, albeit mildly peated at 12 to 14 ppm. We are trying their NAS version, named Traditional Cask.

The nose is somewhat closed, but with some patience you get a reward in the form of vanilla, melon and peach. The peat is totally not medicinal and barely smoky, but does give the nose an exhaust fume quality. Or something that reminds me of throwing a pile of wet grass on a bonfire. Not bad, but far from earth shattering as well. Fresh, though.

The mouth feel is weak, almost watery. Pity. The fruit (the same as on the nose) does become totally overpowered by the peat, some vanilla and ginger. Midpalate it turns a bit dry. Clear tannins.

The finish is medium long, dry and becomes a bit more fruity again towards the death.

This is a totally different kind of peated whisky than an Islay, but certainly not bad. I just wonder what is so traditional about it. Thanks for the sample, Pat.

A great all rounder, very reliable. Nose: Sherry dried fruit and apricots. Taste: Malt dominates soft sweet grain, some peat and a little smoke. Finish: Dryer with a touch of butter and cocoa on the finish.

Well to be honest I called this review 'The Distant Malt' because somehow all the notes from this malt seemed to be somewhere in the distance and one had to dig deep to get to them, not something I really enjoy doing..especially when the results aren't out of the world. Nevertheless here goes..

Nose: Your nose is greeted with a not so pleasant sweetness that usually comes with a younger malt which is what I understand this Ardmore is even though they've matured it in Quarter Casks to speed up the maturation process. What follows is the feeling of having entered a leaking hay stack on a rainy day with the smell of damp hay all around. Try and come out of there and somewhere in the distance you can get the smoke from a dying fire and a faint hint of spice in the air.

Palate: The first sensation on your tongue is that of sweetness coming from the vanilla, caramel and possibly some breakfast cereals.. but this feeling vanishes so soon that you are left a bit wanting. It is soon replaced by a tang that comes from biting on orange peel and finally you are left with some peat and smoke lingering around in your mouth

Finish: This where the name to this review really fits this malt. All this while everything seemed to be at a distance but by the time you reach the finish the malt just packs its bags and vanishes... leaving a faint smoke trail and a powdered sugary feeling in your mouth. I'd say this has been a bit of a let down for me. Maybe since you paid 25 pounds for it .. probably didn't hurt as much as some of the other more expensive let downs. :)

Warm smooth thick steady slow sweet vegetable herbal arrival develops a buttery cream soft oaky finish.

For $30 a bottle (year-round at my local shop), I'm not sure you can do better than this. It's a peated Highland, so it's sort of an all-arounder, with none of the thinness or off-notes of similarly priced single malts like Speyburn Bradan Orach, etc.

The nose is mostly sweet, dominated by honeyed barbecue sauce, with complementary undertones of maple and smoke. On the palate, it's pleasantly full-bodied with lots of Highland honey and more smoke, and an oiliness that calls to mind boiled peanuts. The finish is nice and long, with a bit of ash.

One of very few bargains in tax heavy Ontario @ $45 Cdn. I had much higher expectations for a peaty Highland malt. I had hopes for this one along the lines of a thick Glemorangie with a malty and smokey depth but this was just not there. Thick sweet toffee plus a pungent smoke influence makes this a bargain at this price point yet reminicient of a Johnnie Walker Gold.

The story... A recent buy and one that's slowly growing on me.

I went into the whiskey shop looking for an alternative to my favourite Jura superstition. Was looking for something a little peaty, not too harsh on the throat, that waters well. Store assistant convinced me to try something different to my island favourite and try what they described as an unusual highland.

Tried this in store and actually got very excited - lovely and smooth, and seemed very reasonable at £30 a pop. Got it home. Poured my self a glass topped with a touch of water. Sipped and almost blew my head off. Where was the lovely smooth whiskey I had tasted in store??? Topped with more water and was still really rough on the throat. Was starting to wonder if the nice but slightly old and biddy shop assistant had pulled a fast one on me.

Thankfully though, thought I'd investigate a little before writing off completely and read some of the reviews here. Got some great advice - the tip is most definitely let this have a good breath - 20 mins at least pouring off a new bottle (something I underestimated when I tasted the already open bottle in store). After that a teaspoon of water rounded the flavour off for me nicely (although drinks well straight after a breath too).

Taste and Colour... A light golden straw yellow - declares it does have added colour. Lovely scent - I found myself just breathing it in through my mouth, floral and slightly caramel. Tasted straight, does indeed have apple coming through, but I tasted berries too- almost a bit juniper- found myself thinking of gin when I drank it. Sharp on the tongue and palette but not on the throat. Has a tar and caramel aftertaste.

Add a little water and the taste softens considerably. Becomes sweeter on drinking but strangely more bitter (less tar and caramel) on the aftertaste.

So... All in all actually not a bad tipple. Ironically for me more tar than peat so very different to my favourite Jura, but a nice drink and when prepped properly shoots above its £30 weight.

So this comes from a bottle I bought a long time ago. I don’t even remember how may years it has been opened (three?). This is a compilation of tasting notes from last summer done between April and August. The scores were all about the same 82.5 - 84 depending on the night. Tonight I finally decanted the last little bit of the bottle into two 50mL sample bottles. In honor of this malt here are my impressions. I know that this bottle was created by the same gentleman who created the Laphroaig Quarter Cask bottling.

Nose: Creamy, malty, and fresh barley. Sweet fruit on the nose: apples, cherries, berries (strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries). A little bit of leather and some mustiness in the background, but malt and berries really dominate this nose. There is a strong impression of sweetness with a bit of sharp strawberries. There is a bit of citrus behind that. Perhaps a hint of peat lingers in the far background . . . but you could easily miss it. Honeyed thick malt is driving this vehicle. With time the strawberries are very pronounced as are raspberries. Not all that complex but nice and enjoyable.
With water way more strawberries and fruit.

Taste: Fresh sweet fruit (apples, strawberries, and citrus) gives way to hay and vegital notes. Sweet on the front with butter on the middle. Some peat, then stewed fruit – oranges, apples, and pears. A slight bitterness on the back but not all that bad (if not the good kind of bitterness).

Finish: Medium wave of malt with an edge of peat. Not a peat monster or even a peat main stay; more of a slight peat influence. After the initial peat fire it decrescendos into strawberries again. I would call it a medium big finish but not that long. The medium finish dissolves into some spicy notes of peppercorn and cinnamon.

Complexity, Balance: Not the most complex single malt. But it holds its own. It does a decent job of being balanced from nose to finish. I do wish that peat showed up earlier on the nose and taste. The sweet fruit over topples the balance of the malt and peat. I wish it all balanced out a bit better. Still, not bad.

Aesthetic experience: I like the bottle shape, but not the engraved eagle. The label is all modern and simple with a bit too much information that isn’t helpful. I love the 46% ABV and the use of quarter casks. It is a nice bottle at a cheap price. However, at over $40 I would say no.

Conclusion: This is a great bottle I love to have around (I have gone through 3 or so) when I can pick it up for $32. It isn’t overly complex and I am sure it is young. That said, the use of peat and the quarter casks really help this guy along. I would love to see an older expression at cask strength. Next time I’m in Nashville to see family I know I’ll pick it up again.

Promoted during the months that I stayed in Edinburgh as Malt of the Month at the local pub, and it is true, if I'm ever going to make a "Bang for your Buck" list, this one will surely take the lead. A quite complex single malt for its price-tag and my "daily" dram

This is an interesting Highland malt. It is peated and finished in quarter casks which imparts more oak flavour. In the bottle is has a full caramel colouring slough I understand this is all natural and no E150 has been added. On the nose I get caramel, orange, raisins, stewed plums, peat and light smoke.

On first sip it is punchy with spicy sweetness, fruity and with a lovely rolling smokiness. It feels powerful although for 46% and is quite rich, not overly complex and it does what it does well. It is flavourful, honest, nicely balanced between sweet, smoke and mild spice. There is a rawness which probably comes from young casks. There is no age statement but I like this honest, upfront diamond in the rough.

The finish is smokey, mild spice and an oak tang and fading dark fruit sweetness. There is a lingering bitterness which is not unpleasant but, u I've some drinks would mean you wouldn't choose this for a long session. More like one you would keep going back to night after night and be sad when it was all gone.

This whisky in a 750 ml bottle is non chill filtered and finished in quarter casks. It is still a bit young but very much a bang for your buck whisky. Here on the Canadian prairies it sells for less than $44. and worth every cent. Nose: Toffee,tobacco,light peat smoke and vanilla some fruit(banana?-not sure) Taste:Spicy burnt fruit, toffee and smoke Finish: Medium length, spicy peat smoke, not complex but very warming The nose in the empty glass reminds me of the old Russian cigarettes that used to be kept in my fathers WW2 souvenir cedar chest. I say "used to" cause I smoked them all before I was 10 years old. This whisky brings back fond memories. Must go now and buy another bottle of this or two as I'm now down to my last 2 drams.

This Highlander is no Kurgan, that's for sure: a traditional cask aged dateless wonder with no birthday per se, but this single malt's got a nice hint of peat in there that is quite satisfying. It's sweet enough to please the ladies who would turn up their noses at the presence of charcoal, heavy leather, and medicinal-tasting tinctures that tickle the tongue.

No water added to my dram. Yes, a teaspoon would make absolve the slight burn, and no doubt change the flavor at bit, but I seem to like the way it burns just a little without any water at 46%. Most experts would add water for the tasting, but I'm too lazy. I'm sitting at my desk without water and I don't feel like getting up and walking two miles down the trail in the snow to the double cylinder hand pump well for a few teaspoons of water, and two miles back up the trail, in order to round out this review for you picky blokes ; )

THE REVIEW Rich natural color with no carmel added. Aged in a small cask for faster maturation and flavoring of the oak.

Scent of Bananas; nutmeg; vanilla bean; coconut; mild earthy peat; old leather saddle worn by the horse. Beneath it all, the peat and smoke every so slightly beckons: "drink me." With time the nose turns more leathery like Lagavulin.

Flavor of vanilla beans, strong tongue feel, peat goes nicely to your nose, pleasant burn, sweet honey, delightful malt, fresh cut oak, toffee. A faint smokey presence permeates the entire mouth feel, but not overpoweringly. With time, the mouth feel becomes less sweet.

As for flavor comparisons: No medicinal quality as in Laphroaig. No briquette charcoal presence as in Ardbeg. No dominant leather note as in Lagavulin. Rather, this Ardmore scotch blends sweet and smoky with the sweet as a more full bodied sweet rather than a cloying sweet as in many Speysides.

Finish is generous for the price; not overly long, but nice. Simple finish, not complex but pleasing with more vanilla bean, sea salt, toffee, and caramel. Time does not affect the finish. It remains dominated by vanilla beans and gets perhaps a bit longer after 25 minutes in the glass.

Pleasant taste left in the mouth after the finish. Would pair well with deserts featuring apples, pears, caramel, vanilla pudding or ice cream. A bit sweet to drink with dinner, however. Still, not overpoweringly sweet and the smokey undertone could pair perhaps with salmon or ham as the main course. Also, a nice drinking scotch for any time.

If leave a few drops in the bottle of your glass and drink them, the peat really comes through strong for some reason in those last few drops.

Price in Portland, Oregon, USA: $45 bottle. Not to be found in any bars hereabouts, unavailable for tasting. The bars and pubs have not caught up with this reasonably priced drinkable scotch yet. We are smarter than they are right now. Drink up, lads and lassies.

p.s. This scotch is not great for drink after drink after drink. I reach my limit at two glasses and then I switch to something a bit less sweet. But then again, I do like Caol Isa mixed with Talisker when I'll be having more than two.

Last night, I did indulge in three glasses (unusual for me) of the Ardmore TC and the last glass was markedly less enjoyable. Call it the "law of diminishing returns." Aye. Or so said the economist's side of me noggin.

In my humble opinion, this is one of the best offerings that one can purchase at the LCBO for it's price.

I picked up a bottle for a little tasting I held with a couple of friends and while it wasn't the winner, we all agreed that bang for your buck, it was the best in that regard.

Nose: Toffee and apple with a hint of vanilla.

Palate: Peated for sure, but not overpowering so those that may not like a peated scotch will still find this one enjoyable. It starts off creamy with a honey comb taste, then the fruits start to show. Peaches perhaps.

Finish: Fairly long giving a nice warming sensation.

Conclusion: For $45 at the LCBO, it's a great deal. From what I can gather it's part of their vintages section and not a normal stock item so I bought a couple extra bottles to keep me going until the next time they have this in stock. The last batch was released in April 2012 and is almost sold out across their stores.

This Highland malt is possibly the best value for money single malt out there. The nose is beautifully smoky with a deft touch of vanilla infused apples. Toffee, caramel and honey flow over the palate in one of the smoothest deliveries I've ever had. As it goes down the it brings up a beautifully balanced bouquet of warm, intimate spices. Finally the finish is satisfyingly long and dry. This one is a Must Have!

Colour is a darker bronze than our previous drams this evening, no doubt impact from the added quarter cask ageing.

Nose of burnt sugar and butter. Glazed ham.

Flavours are something of a let-down after the fantastic nose. Much less dessert and more savoury flavour. Some orange rind and over-steeped tea.

This is a young malt (6-8 years) finished in the quarter cask. If it sound a lot like Laphroaig's Quarter Cask they are owned by the same parent company. The only other products Ardmore has are 25 & 30 years as most of their spirit goes into blends.

This is a straightforward malt that comes charging straight at you. It starts off with a spicy pepper blast that reminds me of some cigars like an Arturo Fuente Sun Grown or most stogies from Tatuaje or Don Pepin Garcia.

Flavor wise it starts off with hot red pepper and a light peat. It's light in body with some dry sherry and vanilla. There is a pepper and smoke finish that goes down dry but satisfying.

This is one of my more enjoyable single malts. I realize it's not complex at all but it has a flavor pop that doesn't confuse or overload my simple palate. My cabinet score rates it a little higher but I'll be more honest on my review score (as much as I can be).

Nose: sweet and peaty. I get vanilla, black licorice, some light florals, and a clean peat aroma than is more earthy than smoky. It has neither the ashy dryness of Laphroaig and Caol Ila nor the intense medicinal quality of Lagavulin. It displays peat prominently but more in balance with the sweetness.

Taste: Medium-bodied, it develops in a straightfoward fashion with not much in the way of complexity or surprises. Sweet and honied with toasty wood and peat flavour. All the flavours hit right away and remain consistent. It picks up some extra richness and depth as it moves to the back of the tongue. Overall, a nice-tasting whisky, peaty but not too challenging.

Finish: Retains the peatiness, of course, but also a fiesty black licorice sweetness.

Balance: An enjoyable whisky, almost like a very mellow Laphroaig. Lower price and higher alcohol than others in its range make it an economical choice for a peaty single malt. I found it more interesting than Dun Bheagan Islay (which I believe is Caol Ila), and more balanced than Bowmore 12 and McClelland's Islay. I would buy it again.

This was my second Ardmore bottling to try, after sampling a 25yr at a whisky show a little while back. I thought with this I would go back to the start and the base of the range in order to get a better feel for the malt. There is no age statement on the bottle, but reports are that its around 6-8 years old (according to The Whisky Exchange)

First off, its superb value, extremely reasonable price for what turns out to be a deceptively high class of whisky in my eyes. It has a big peaty presence throughout, but is surprisingly easy to drink. It’s bold, full of flavour and has a finish that lingers for an age, never growing old!

I’ve read in some reviews that it’s best tasted with a drop of water, however I must disagree. After doing so I felt that it lost a lot of its feel and character, almost becoming plain. To really get the full benefit of this dram you need it neat without corruption!

I bought this bottle in Kansas City for 35$. I think I made the best deal in town at that time. I have tasted it previously during a whisky event along with the Ardmore 30 years old. I found during that evening that I liked better the tradional cask, but it was hard to do a proper review with those small event samples.

Now that I have my own bottle, I can take more time to taste it

Nose: It is peated indeed, but it is not the same peat that we found is Islay malt. It is interesting, more plant-like than organic. There isn't the smoke associated to it. Some pear and vanilla with a hint of toffee. very nice.

Palate: The taste is good, peated first than more fruity.

Finale: Longer than I expected for a young malt. A lingering taste of peated fruits makes you delay the next sip to enjoy the most of it.

This is a very very good daily dram at a more than affordable price for peat lovers out there. It is well balanced and has a nice complexity.

Another giant but a hidden gem, because until recently the malt from this East Highlander went mainly in to Teacher's. That's changing, though. Bought by Beam Global a few years ago this malt, matured partially in quarter sized casks, has won a great deal of acclaim since it was launched as a single malt in its own right.

Nose: Not the easiest to take to initially, with savoury, rootsy notes, some bamboo, and a gentle hint of seaweed and brine.

Palate: A savoury taste and a grower if ever there was one - olive and artichoke compete with grumpy peat and finally some sweetness appears, like the belated arrival of the sun after a particularly intense storm.

Finish: Delightfully peaty, briney and long

this is in our festive tasting.

The peaty nature of the Traditional Cask (Ardmore are the only remaining Highland distillery to fully peat their standard malt) might give you a bit of a scare if you aren't but it is followed by a vanilla and fruity presence giving it a quite a rounded flavour. A dash of water dampens the strength of the peat allowing for a breezier tipple. At such a price you can even afford to drop a few ice cubes in. In short, a good place to start if you want to give peat a try. A decent, affordable peaty single malt. About £28 rrp. 46% abv

Colour: Carmel with a tinge of tangerine

Body: Light to medium

Nose: Smooth distinct peat, with hints of fruit and bourbon.

Palate: Soft to begin with, with a smoky, peaty, spicy nudge that is followed by vanilla and ripened fruit.

Finish: Creamy and softer, yet long lasting

Vanilla and clover shine through the maltiness and overriding bourbon of the nose, but don't make their presence known on a first sniff.

A light, soft body lets the flavors of this moderately peaty Scotch unfurl nicely. A good bit of the peat smoke is edged out by the bourbon, but there's more than enough for a highly drinkable whisky.

A spicier, more complex finish than most whiskies of its price range. Dried fruits linger longest: a curried raisin?

Not quite robust enough for after dinner. Might work well as a restorative dram.

Ardmore Traditional Cask 46%ABV Nose: Smoky, Bourbony, slightly malty Palate: Sweet and slightly bitter Palate with H2O: Bourbony but not sweet Rating: 80

Another good bottle for the budget conscious