Ardmore distillery was built in 1897 by the son of Adam Teacher and is still the key ingredient of the Teacher’s blend. About 60% of their production is peated (12-14 ppm).
This 18 years old Ardmore 1992 was a joint bottling of The Nectar of the Daily Drams and La Maison du Whisky.
Ardmore 18 yo 1992
(47%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams 2010)
Nose: a smoky nose with charcoal. Some apple / pear notes and ripe banana (maybe papaya even) but what sets it apart are the waxy / oily overtones (candle wax). Nicely integrated whiffs of oak and vanilla. Some heathery notes. A bit austere maybe, but I love the wax.
Mouth: sweet and remarkably soft, with honeyed lemon juice, green apples, peach and sugared almonds. Some cereal notes. Earthy peat, still some waxy notes and a faint salty note.
Finish: clean and long but not very intense, with a nice almond / banana combination, soft brine and lingering smoke.
This Ardmore shows a nice interplay of dry soot and sweeter fruity notes. The nose is the best part for me, as it looses some subtlety on the palate. Around € 70 (which means good value for money). Still available from LMdW – hard to find in other shops.
Score: 87/100