Ardmore 14 Year Old 2000 Asta Morris

Crazy Bert Strikes Again. This time Asta Morris bottled an Ardmore. The distillery was founded by Adam Teacher (of the famous blend) in 1898, but is nowadays run by the giant drinks concern Suntory (that also owns my beloved Auchentoshan). While it is a Highland whisky, Ardmore is known for peating their barley since its foundation. Asta Morris had already bottled a sistercask (AM#038, albeit sherry) for Gaiaflow in Japan. This is a bourbon cask.

The nose is creamy with freshly cut grass and hay, seaweeds and oysters, but also something that I can only describe as the inside of rubber boots. Wet sand. A pond of still water in the summer. The second whiff has some sweetness in store: vanilla and milkchocolate. Even some nougat. Brussels waffle, just out of the iron.

Nicely feisty and salty on the palate. The peat is prevalant now. But it is followed immediately by a surprisingly sweet note of vanilla, toffee and brown sugar. Banana and unripe apples. Ashes. Sea water. There is a lot going on here.

The finish is wonderfully long and ends in a bittersweet note from the wood.

Grand nose! Complex on the palate and good finish. Great cask. Just under 90 EUR, which – let us be honest – is not cheap.

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