Thompson Bros. Ardlair
Unpeated Ardmore | 50% ABV
Bonus Review: Sponge Edition 69 Ardmore
For peat’s sake
If there’s one piece of advice I can give a whisky drinker in 2023, other than placing quality over quantity, it’s to try more Ardmore.
The current whisky climate sees Islay becoming increasingly expensive, newer distilleries charging too much for their young wares and others demotivating potential customers through their actions. As consumers we have the final decision in where to spend our money. I’ve seen countless buyers reach for their brand almost subconsciously without considering what else is out there. Others more price driven, only shopping for deals. We’re clearly creatures of habit and only a few will listen to others, step off the path and head out on an adventure.
If only all roads led to Ardmore distillery, which you’ll find in the northeast of Scotland near Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire. A remote destination that I’ve never managed to visit myself despite the prominence of a railway line that runs alongside the distillery - a sizeable factor in its ability to reach market during the early days of its existence.
Time for such whisky visits nowadays is practically zero, although I enjoy seeing others make the trek to distant outposts and fill themselves with the whisky vibe. Fortunately, living in Scotland we have the opportunity to make such visits on an occasional basis compared to international enthusiasts who more often can only dream of visiting these shores, drinking Irn-Bru fresh from the tap and chasing haggis in the glens.
So what makes Ardmore so enticing? I know I’ve recommended its wares to some and they’ve looked at me confusingly (more than usual, anyway) that there’s a mainland whisky that’s peated – why not just go to Islay? Different type of peat, different style of whisky, more affordable and widely bottled by independents. All of these are good reasons, especially as Suntory don’t seem to be proactive in marketing the distillery. It’ll do for blending product and little else.
We often overlook the blending side of things for our favourite distilleries. For the overwhelming majority, it’s a function that goes unnoticed and the filling of blenders requirements remains a staple today as it was in the 1890s. Ardmore most famously goes into Teacher’s Highland Cream, a blend that remained a quality option in the 1970s or prior, but more modern bottlings (as is the case with most modern blends) have diminished in relevance thanks to a shift in the malt versus grain ratio.
With the lack of single malt focus from Suntory officially, most of Ardmore goes into blending and also towards brokers, who sell on to independents with open arms. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottle Ardmore on a regular basis, yes, sometimes abusing the liquid with a second maturation which seems only because they have enough inventory to do so. It’s a solid distillate that’s as robust and adaptable as Caol Ila, so I get the inkling to try things, but at times all I want is an Ardmore in an ex-bourbon barrel and no additives. There’s a beauty in its simple elegance.
Angus kindly sent a sample of the latest Decadent Drinks Ardmore which comes from the treasure tomb like facility that is known as the Signatory Vintage. Comprising refill hogsheads that have been additionally matured in first-fill sherry wood for more than two years, we have something that arguably fits the SMWS style of finishing, and let’s be honest, saves me from buying a bottle. At 22 years old, the whisky is at that point when Ardmore traditionally reveals a fruitier characteristic, so this combined with a lick of sherry should be intriguing.
As we’re discussing all things blended and the nature of Ardmore, I thought it was an appropriate time to review a bottling from the whisky geek’s aka Thompson Brothers, who managed to release a cask of unpeated Ardmore earlier this year. Known as Ardlair – or I’ve been told Ardless by some employees – it’s Ardmore without a vital element of its DNA that is designed to go into blending. These types of casks are few and far between on the indie market and the bottle has been opened for a few weeks, waiting for the right moment.
On a side note, I’d like to thank Dominic Roskrow for his contribution to whisky and his dedication to explore all corners of the whisky-verse. Thanks to his writing, many of us discovered new whiskies from unexpected sources. Taken too soon, I never had the opportunity to meet him in person and the world of whisky is enriched because of his efforts, and now a less vibrant place due to his departure. If you’re unaware of his work, then I suggest reading the Whisky Magazine obituary, where he worked for so many years. I’m sure Dom would have approved of today’s selection and our continued efforts to find new delights.
Review 1/2
Thompson Bros. Ardlair, 50% ABV
£60 - now sold out
Nose
Buttery popcorn, floral and dried lemon. Vanilla, wafer, biscuit and lemon meringue pie. Wine gums, beeswax, white chocolate, kindling and orange peel. A coastal note of dried seaweed, dulse from my Irish days.
Palate
More vanilla and lemon, creamy and subtle. Cask char, putty, milk chocolate and a touch of salt with a timid coastal theme. Quite oily, pine nuts, plenty going on. Juicy and moreish.
Score: 7/10
Review 2/2
Whisky Sponge Edition 69, Ardmore 2000, 54.2% ABV
£235 - still available
Nose
Decadent hot chocolate, scuffed leather, braised red apples and redberries. Ash, grease, treacle and more robust aromas with spent gunpowder caps and an earthiness. Cinnamon bun, boot polish, figs, smoked cheese and rye.
Palate
Dried moss, musty and dark chocolate. Black peppercorns, coffee beans and charcoal. Fudge brings sweetness with brown sugar. Old wooden floorboards, mahogany, cough medicine and rye crisp bread.
Score: 7/10
The Dregs
A contrasting duo and the Ardlair is certainly Ardless as a key component is missing, laying the distillate open wide to a new interpretation. The outcome is a promising enough whisky that forces you in an unbeaten direction to form that new appreciation. If you have a bottle of this, give it time. After a couple of weeks, the Ardlair will burst into life, making you question why we don’t see more of this distillate on the shelves.
The older statesman Whisky Sponge bottling may come with a much heftier price tag but also the promise of a well matured and stylish Ardmore. It doesn’t disappoint and goes to show how well this more traditional distillate works with sherry and is tenacious enough to stamp its authority on any wood. I’m not surprised by the outcome, as I return to my opening theme and encouraging you to try more Ardmore, with or without the peat.
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. DM
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