Ardmore 12 Year Old Port Wood Finish Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Ardmore · Ardmore Distillery
Ardmore often goes overlooked among Highland malts, but this 12-year-old demonstrates why peat works differently north of the Highland Line. The port wood finishing adds depth without obscuring the distillery's signature lightly peated character. At 46% and non-chill-filtered, it has the weight and texture to reward patient sipping.
Kit Aromas
Nose
Gentle peat smoke leads, followed by dried apricot and honey. There is a floral rosewater element under the smoke, along with a dusting of cocoa and warm vanilla.
Palate
Medium-bodied with a pleasing tension between sweet dried fruit and earthy peat. The port cask influence delivers a layer of dark chocolate and orange, while a malty backbone gives it substance.
Finish
Long and warming, with lingering smoky honey and a soft woody dryness.
- Region
- Highland
- Cask Type
- Ex-bourbon casks, port pipe finish
- Peat Level (PPM)
- 12-14 ppm
- Distillation
- Double distilled in copper pot stills
- Maturation
- Aged 12 years in ex-bourbon casks, finished in port pipes
- Chill-Filtered
- Non-chill-filtered
Cocktail Suggestion
Highland Ember Sour — 2 oz Ardmore 12 · 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice · 0.5 oz honey syrup · 1 egg white · Dry shake, then shake with ice, strain into a rocks glass, garnish with a lemon peel expressed over the surface.
Food Pairing
Smoked duck breast with cherry compote
Built in 1898 by Adam Teacher to supply the backbone malt for Teacher's Highland Cream, Ardmore Distillery in Aberdeenshire has quietly produced peated Highland malt for over a century.
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