Ardmore Sherry Cask Antipodes Gordon & MacPhail 36 Year Old 1985 700ml 49.6%

Ardmore stands on the border between Speyside and the Eastern Highlands. Aged for 36 years in sherry casks, this rich, intoxicating dram blends peat, minerals, and herbs.

About the Distillery and Bottle

Ardmore is a distillery with a highly multifaceted and ambiguous character. Located on the border between Speyside and the Eastern Highlands, it was founded in 1897, just one year before the Pattison brothers went bankrupt. Its whisky possesses a character so distinct that it is often mistaken for an Islay malt rather than a mainland one.
Interestingly, a distillery of the same name, "Ardmore Distillery," once existed on Islay from 1817 to 1835, later merging with Laphroaig. This colorful history is deeply etched into the DNA of the present-day Ardmore.
Re-evaluated through independent bottlings, a 12-year-old "house style" has also been released officially by the distillery in recent years.

About the Sherry Cask Antipodes Collection

The "Sherry Cask Antipodes" series by Gordon & MacPhail, a long-established independent bottler in Scotland, releases rare whiskies aged for extended periods exclusively in sherry casks, presented in wooden gift boxes.

Tasting Notes

Style: Rich and intoxicating.

Nose: Initially, rooty and roasted peat (sleet, soot), with vanilla, lemon, and a very pure herbaceous nuance (verbena, mustard). As it breathes, the aroma gradually evolves towards mineral notes (schist, spindle stone, basalt), salinity, and at the same time, creaminess (barley porridge, rice cakes). Eventually, essential oil herbs (savory, rosemary, sage) and spices (star anise, clove, nutmeg) mingle with fresh fruits (Williams pear, golden apple).

Palate: A clean and vibrant attack. It begins with subtle licorice (stick) and oily elements (green olives), gradually transitioning to candied fruits (lemon, pineapple, pear) and herbaceous flavors (young barley, freshly cut hay, alfalfa). In the mid-palate, notes of barley sugar and anise deeply penetrate the taste buds. The finish is minty, with very slight earthy and rooty undertones (gentian, génépi).

Finish: Long, concentrated finish. Built upon an impression reminiscent of mineral-rich, saline soil, beautiful bitter notes of chocolate and malt emerge. In the aftertaste, the pungent flavor of burning cigar gradually wafts, enveloped by dense smoke and hints of eucalyptus. On the retro-nasal, malt, peat (dry peat), medicinal herbs (balm), vanilla, and lemon are perceived simultaneously. From the empty glass, an impression arises as if standing in the midst of a peat moor swept by sea breeze.

Product Specifications

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