2008 Single Cask Nation Ardmore 8 Years is another release from the initial retail offerings put out by Single Cask Nation. Being a single cask there’s only 228 bottles available for the entire country so if this review sounds intriguing you need to act fast.
In Single Cask Nation’s Words: 2008 Single Cask Nation Ardmore 8 Years
“This cask bottling, distilled in July 2008, spent eight years maturing in a refill ex-Bourbon hogshead. It was bottled at cask strength in September of 2016 at 56.8% ABV. Cask #0703820 yielded 228 bottles.
One for the Peat lovers: smoky and salty with an unmistakeable coastal quality but there’s also dark chocolate and hints of dried cherry skins”
Owned by Beam Suntory, Ardmore is a heavily peated Speyside whisky which is fairly unique on the mainland, especially in Speyside. It’s a distillery I haven’t had a ton of in my life, but each time I sit down to review one I end up liking it. This 2008 Single Cask Nation Ardmore 8 Years review might be the beginning of me taking a more serious look at this distillery.
2008 Single Cask Nation Ardmore 8 Years Info
Region: Speyside, Scotland
Distiller: Ardmore
Bottler: Single Cask Nation
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: Refill Bourbon Hoggie (ex-Laphroaig cask)
Age: 8 years
ABV: 56.8%
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Barrel: 0703820
Price: $95*
2008 Single Cask Nation Ardmore 8 Years Review
EYE
Light copper
NOSE
Herbal and peaty the aroma is heavy but not very complex. Some notes of malt, dried fruit, oily nuts, cinnamon and clove pop up but take backseat to the herbal peatiness.
PALATE
Similar to the aroma but fuller with a slightly deeper sense of malt, vanilla, caramel, dried fruit and a bit of spice.
FINISH
Long peaty and spicy fade layered with malt and nuts.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Good sense of balance, medium body and a light oily feel.
OVERALL
2008 Single Cask Nation Ardmore 8 Years is a nice whisky. The peat plays well with the sweeter notes and acts as a balancing board for all of the sweet malty notes that run through it. Water doesn’t do much across the aroma or palate except kick up some notes of citrus, but that’s ok because it’s a nice whisky just as it is. I’m enjoying everything about it; it just needs a little bump in complexity to get it up to that next level.
SCORE: 86/100 (B)
*Disclosure: This sale of 2008 SIngle Cask Nation Ardmore 8 Years was graciously sent to me by the company for the purposes of this review. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
