The Nectar of the Daily Drams Ardmore 1997 22 Years Old

Style: Crisp, Sweet and Lightly Smoky

Rating: ☆ [Recommended]

Nose:

It starts with lemon honey aloe vera and some signature orange-infused licorice which is lightly tinted by kelp-bacon smoke. Tropical fruits slowly leaking from the core followed by a quick chilli spice surge. Burnt grass peat increasingly detectable while sweet barley comes into view and ends with a clean and crisp citrus fragrance.

Palate:

Similar to the nose but with a faster tempo - Quick gentlemen's steps from orange-citrus to lemon aloe vera drink, and then a final light touch on the malty peat. Tropical fruits now taking the form of sweet confectionaries. More floral notes and fizzling sensation as we approach the core. Lime soda, maybe even a dash of ginger beer as well. Tannins begins to set in at the final quarter, while the lightly peated sweetness continues to linger.

Finish:

Tannins are to stay and it also brings out the bitter side of the citrus. A lovely white fruits finale.

Thoughts:

Another 97 Ardmore and it has definitely become a thing these days. Now this dram is everything you would expect from a modern Ardmore - Light, crisp, citrusy, floral with moderate level of peat, but this is done with an exceptional technical finesse that makes it a class apart from its peers, way more cleaner and balanced. Another masterclass from the Nectar, almost two stars for me.

[50.6%| Independent Bottling| 1997 Distilled| 2020 Bottled| Cask Strength| *]

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