Ardmore Legacy

In May 2018 I reviewed the Ardmore Traditional Cask. The bottle had been open since 2014. I was not reaching for it often and thankfully @Paddockjudge took the bottle off my hands to make room in a very cramped cabinet. I do not believe I have tasted Ardmore since then. I picked this up in June 2019 in Calgary as part of a discount if you buy three minis.

As this distillery is next up in my Boutique-y Advent Calendar series I’m working on, I thought I would review this one and an IB that someone gave me a sample of on the same day, to get a better sense of the distillery.

The Legacy is said to have replaced the Traditional Cask, but the TC was bottled at 46% and this is 40%. Does it live up to its legacy?

This expression, tasted in a Highland Whisky Glass, is reviewed in my usual manner, allowing it to settle after which I take my nosing and tasting notes, followed by the addition of a few drops of water, waiting, then nosing and tasting.

---

Nose: 22/25

Peat and lemon. Rich nose for 40%. Marinated green olives. The peat is dry but there is an underlying sweetness behind the brine from the olives. Water does not seem to affect the nose.

Taste: 21.5/25

Thin on the arrival. The overwhelming flavour is a sweet peat. Maybe a bit of brine in the background. Water makes it a little more bitter and peppery, and brings out stronger peatiness. The olive brine is suppressed.

Finish: 21/25

Short and peppery.

Balance: 21/25

The peat on the palate masks most other flavours.

Score: Neat - 85.5/100 With Water: 85/100

---

I am surprised by this expression. I looked at it and its weak 40% on the label and I was determined not to pre-judge. Turns out I like this one better than the Traditional cask. I don’t think I will buy a bottle of this but I would certainly not turn my nose up at it if offered a dram. At under $50 at the LCBO it outperforms many of its higher priced competitors. If it had a higher ABV this could be a solid performer.

Find where to buy Ardmore whisky