Ardmore 12 Years Old 2001 66.60 Caribbean wedding on the beach (56.5%, SMWS, Refill Bourbon, 228 Bottles, 2014)

56.5% ABV, £46 for 70cl

Score: 83/100

What they say:

Swathes of white floral notes mingled with sandy feet washed in the sea and a damped down beach camp. Crisp green salad of rocket and tomatoes, and soor plooms gave ozone freshness along with lime margaritas. Maple syrup bacon on toasted brioche, barbeque lamb with honey glaze and scraped vanilla pods. The smoke drifts like a early dawn mist. Lime basil and mandarin, honeysuckle nectar, peppery nasturtium give way to sage and pine. The reduced taste was as delicate as ‘peat wrapped in cashmere’ with soft aloe vera, gomme syrup and pink wafers coating the tongue. ‘A wee darling!’

Drinking tip: For a romantic nightcap

Date Distilled: 26 November 2001

Colour: Raindrops on elderflower

Age: 12 years

Flavour : Lightly peated

Cask Type: Refill ex-bourbon barrel

Whisky Region: Highland Eastern

What I say:

Dram # 4 WOLS 14/5 Scotch Malt Whisky Society tasting hosted by Ryan McCafferty. This is a 12 year old Ardmore (SMWS distillery #66) expression matured in a refill ex-bourbon barrel with a 228 bottle outturn.

Colour:

Light/pale straw gold

Nose:

Light and sweet, acetone and estery (ripe banana), hints of vanilla and coconut, dry and dusty and some fresh cut birch or beech wood

Taste:

Light and oily in mouthfeel this had sweet vanilla and coconut, dry and dusty almost sandy, tropical fruits (light) overripe banana, lychee, slight menthol and saffron notes and finally pineapple fritters in banana custard

Finish:

Medium/long, honey sweet with old/roasted coconut

Overall:

Surprised to find this was from Ardmore and is lightly peated. There was a dry/dusty note throughout that should have have given me the heads-up on the peaty influence but it is very subtle and well-incorporated. I was too taken with nailing down the ethereal tropical fruity flavours in this that swirled away from the tongue almost as soon as they had been discovered. An alluring dram, this was easy drinking and very enjoyable. Perhaps I should have spent a little longer with this one and tried a little water, though it clearly didn’t require water to enjoy it.