Ardmore 10yr

This is perhaps my most favorite budget whisky (can be had for around $40). Several of my non-Scotch drinking friends have commented on the wonderful aroma of it.



The bottle isn't particularly informative however. Sure, there's a cool embossed eagle in the glass. The label looks no-nonsense and straight forward, but where does it tell you how old it is (I had to find out from the retailer when I bought my first bottle)? There's also little information regarding what type of cask it was aged in other than it being finished in a "traditional cask". It does tell you that it is non-chill filtered and bottled at 46% ABV.

Appearance: The whisky appears fairly dark when you have a new bottle which would lead you to believe caramel coloring was added. However, once it is in your glass, it's a much paler yellow (or when the bottle is near empty). It is also fairly oily. When you add water, it does get quite cloudy, true to its word.

Nose: Probably the best part. Starts off with woody sweetness, a tiny bit of fruit, slightly herbal, and a fair amount of alcohol. Lightly peated. After adding water and allowing it to open up, the buttery caramel goodness starts wafting through the air and stays with the glass long after the whisky is gone.

Taste: A lot of the aromatic elements are also found in the taste. There's a modest amount of peat, maltiness, and spice. The caramel sweetness coats your mouth and lingers for quite a while.