Ardmore 25 Year Old was released in 2010. Originally a travel retail exclusive, it could also be found in regular stores later on. Like the Ardmore 30 Year Old, it was phased out with the recent branding makeover.
Ardmore 25 yo
(51,4%, OB +/- 2012)
Nose: pleasantly gentle, with soft smoke but also sweet apples and a hint of vanilla biscuits. Dried berries. Some marzipan. Also a slightly sharper side, like pickled peppers. Earthy notes. Vague meaty touches.
Mouth: same duality. Vanilla roundness and creamy fruits, then moving towards leathery notes and herbs or dried grass, including a slightly bitter note. Acrid smoke, faint hints of tar, with sweet peaches underneath. Sharp lemon overtones. Pepper and salt.
Finish: lots of ashes, alongside oak, citrus zest and leafy notes. A subtle hint of rubber too.
This Ardmore 25yo shows some classic, gentle peaty notes and nice fruits, but it also slides to less common notes. It’s interesting but not totally stellar. Around € 160 at the time, now gone.
Score: 87/100