Ardnamurchan AD/09:15 CK.632

59.8% ABV

It's probably doing a bit of a disservice having this after a phenomenal 22 year Laphroaig, but it is what it is... Fudge, smoke, earthy peat. Mild ethanol. Sweet and a little youthful. Great dram for the price, this is definitely a distillery I'm keeping an eye on.

The nose is rich and bold starting with a mix of dark chocolate ganache, honey drizzled over caramelized peaches and mild campfire smoke then figgy pudding, blonde espresso and seaside rocky minerality followed by pear tarte, musty grapes and candied orange peel that transitions to mild baking spices and sandalwood with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a rich velvety mouthfeel starting with a mix of Black Forest cake, honey drizzled over caramelized peaches and moderate campfire smoke then dark chocolate covered raisins, blonde espresso and seaside rocky minerality followed by musty grapes, cantaloupe and charred pineapple that transitions to mild baking spices and sandalwood with medium ethanol burn. The finish is long, starting with creamy tropical fruits, honeycomb and mild smoke that fade to a mix of Black Forest cake, espresso and seaside rocky minerality before mild baking spices and sandalwood. This is a rich syrupy dram that the flavors are bold with a mix of creamy chocolates, caramelized fruits along with a mild peat smoke, seaside rocky minerality and unique spices that are expertly balanced with minimal rough edges that the finish lingers for minutes after each sip. I’m really blown away by this dram and the bump from 46.8% ABV on the 01:21:01 to 59.8% ABV on the 09:15 CK.632 has really intensified the experience. Personally I prefer the higher ABV for the intensity of the flavors, but would be happy to have both bottles around for when I’d want something lower strength for the hotter months. Based on a quick online search, the cask strength versions are about $90 and the lower ABV versions are around $70 in the USA and I think both are extremely well priced for the quality and depth of flavors they are able to achieve. Thanks @Richard-ModernDrinking for the generous samples to explore Ardnamurchan, as I wasn’t aware of what I was missing and am going to need to pick up a few bottles from this wonderful distillery to explore further.

Nice mouth feel, medium viscosity. The peat is well integrated with the mild sweetness of the Oloroso cask. Great ABV. Medium to longer finish. Overall, a surprisingly well balanced dram.