Ardmore 8yo

The cask strength version of our very smoky Speyside malt, assembled from our favourite four casks from this distillation batch. Compared to the version at standard strength, the intensity of flavours is of course amplified, and in particular the peat smoke is the absolute top player in this bottling: very sooty, ashy, tarry. It’s not a maritime, salty and pungent kind of peat as that of coastal malts, but rather a more balsamic one, with earthy notes of pinewood, mint, camphor, and an overall “dark” note. But just gradually add water, and the sweet influence of the bourbon casks with their notes of vanilla will immediately appear to provide a creamy background. A different kind of peated whisky, that in its cask strength version is even more targeted at true smokeheads.