Ardlair 11yr old 57.5% ABV A.D.Rattray

Ardair is an unpeated Ardmore whisky from the Highland region of Scotland, this bottling is from a single Ex Bourbon cask, #800144, it was distilled on the 22.09.2010 and bottled on the 23.09.2021, an outrun of 233 bottles, @ 57.5% ABV, NCF, NC, CS #thewhiskeychaps

Appearance

This is white wine in colour, medium thick swirl line and very slow medium legs and teardrops that just hang on the glass. #thewhiskeychaps

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Ardlair 11yrs 57.5%



Appearance – Light Chardonnay Wine

In Colour

Long Thin Legs & Few Tears #TheWhiskeyChaps pic.twitter.com/ubMSpv90c7

— RestlessNative (@RockNRolla60) February 24, 2022

Nose

Not a face slapper for the ABV, a damp forest walk initially for me, evergreen boughs, bitter lemon, cereals and grains, not what I’d expect from an ex bourbon cask. #thewhiskeychaps

Red apples are trying to come through, it’s becoming a little dusty too. Old leather, and wood polish. #thewhiskeychaps

Nose: A little citrus, tropical fruits, mint choc chip ice cream and wheat biscuits (digestives and/or Hob Nobs) #thewhiskeychaps

— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🥃 (@whiskeychap) February 24, 2022

Palate

Spice spice baby, and lots going on, good mouthfeel too. Lots of sweet and bitter lemon, apricots pastry, white pepper, cinnamon, ginger root, black liquorice, star anise, cocoa powder, cola cubes, brown sugar, and caramel. #thewhiskeychaps

Just goes to show you don’t always need peat



From a registered peathead #thewhiskeychaps

— Mike’s Whisky Odyssey 🥃 (@whiskyodyssey) February 24, 2022

Finish

Quite long, dark fruits, juicy, hubba bubba bubble gum, stout, pontefract and Eccles cakes, cask char, espresso, black cherries, and lovely and warming. #thewhiskeychaps

My thoughts

This is a bottle i bought, and when i buy bottles i look for something a little unusual. So an unpeated Ardmore, natural in colour, non chill filtered, cask strength, and an Ex Bourbon cask, my favourite type in general, it was screaming at me to purchase it, so i did.

Well i have to say it is a solid buy, there’s so much going on, fruitiness, lots of Ex – Bourbon cask spices eventually leading to a touch of bitterness, and it’s proper punchy too. This bottles comes in at £64, and i’d happily purchase it again, and i wasn’t surprised that all of us on the tasting thoroughly enjoyed it.

Notes – This whisky is non chill filtered, natural coloured and cask strength.

Thanks to both Sean – @RockNRolla60 and Mike – @whiskyodyssey for the use of their tweets from the tasting, you can find Mike’s whisky blog here and follow Mike and Sean on Twitter using the button below, as well as A.D.Rattray and indeed us too.