Ardmore 2008 9 Year (Alexander Murray & Co.)

An elegant Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Ardmore Distillery in Speyside, Scotland, aged for at least 9 years in used Bourbon barrels and bottled at 46% ABV by Alexander Murray from California. It begins with aromas of fruits, flowers, dried herbs, earth, and smoke. Its complex development includes notes of campfire smoke, honeyed citrus, apple, grilled lemon, orange peel, mint, vanilla bean, caramel, brown sugar, toasted nuts, and spicy oak, leading to a long, smoky conclusion with hints of tobacco and leather. September 2020 / January / July 2022

Aroma: smoked brown sugar bacon, some rich caramel, and vibrant fresh fruit. Taste: smooth, sweet, and rich, with fruit juice and vanilla, a touch of caramel, and barely any smoke. Finish: rich fruit juice quickly gives way to light smoke and a mild burn.

Slightly smoky on the front end, warming on the back, with some sweetness mixed in. It's not bad at all. It's a little too sweet for my regular rotation, at least for my taste.

I can finish this neat, but I wouldn't purchase it for myself. It starts with smoke and wood, followed by lingering smoke, fruit, and spice in the finish.

Smoky caramel essence