Ardmore 1997 DL

Overall rating
85.67/100
ratings
3
Whiskybase ID
WB248342
Category
Single Malt
Distillery
Bottler
Douglas Laing (DL)
Bottling series
Old Particular
Vintage
03.1997
Bottled
10.2022
Stated Age
25 years
Cask Type
Refill Hogshead
Cask number
DL16534
Number of bottles
266
Strength
53.3 %
Size
700 ml
Bottle code
CB 03112 L1 11:40
Barcode
5014218825183
Bottled for
K&L Wine Merchants
Market
United States United States
Added on
19 feb 2024 10:59 pm by sjberk
UncoloredNon-chill FilteredCask StrengthSingle Cask Whisky
Photo by sjberk
Overall rating
85.67/100
ratings
3

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Whisky reviews for Ardmore 1997 DL

2 users have left 2 reviews for this whisky. Average rating is 85.67 points.

Read the reviews
  1. WhiskeryTurnip scored this whisky 85 points Connoisseur

    Sunny Days Spent Poolside

    My prior experience with unpeated Ardmore, sometimes labeled Ardless or Ardlair, though that second one has also been confusingly sometimes used by bottlers as a stand-in for the distillery name on peated products, has not been great. Prior examples felt less cohesive than their peatier brethren, with plenty of fruit but perhaps too much spice and garden notes to come together cohesively.

    That was not a problem here. Time and patience allowed those elements to slowly merge and develop a more coherent and linked structure so that the profile gradually and pleasantly unfolded. I was not a massive fan of the slightly sour and bitter herbal and woody notes on the back end, but the rest of the package was fantastic as soft minerals, citrus, and florals coalesced into a bright and sunny day. I do not think you can taste sunshine, but I assume it would be something like this in the summer.

    Overall, a dram that sweeps the clouds away so those sunny days can shine on.
    • Nose
      Soft and mellow with gentle coastal and mineral notes under citrusy lemon, orange, and pineapple cocktails; hints of coconut and zinc sunscreen hinted at swimming pools and chlorine with a dash of heather.
    • Taste
      Medium-bodied, bright, and sunny with citrus and mellow heather, florals, salty minerals, pineapples, and lime with a touch of creamy birthday cake frosting, slightly sour herbs toward the end with more mint, mugwort, rosemary, and wood.
    • Finish
      Medium to long with citrusy fruits and slightly bitter herbs.

  2. jerry_vcmg scored this whisky 86 points Expert Senior

    Wouldn't guess this is Ardmore as non peaty. Nose honey and fruity. Taste appley, tropical fruit, and medium long aftertaste, which is very distinctive. Not out of the competition for the age and price.

    This one has kind of devolved. There may be a touch of peat or is it earthiness? Am going to lower the rating as the appley, tropical fruit has faded. Disappointing.

    Latest thoughts. If Ardmore isn't peaty then what does it have going for it? What distinguishes it from any other nonpeaty Scotches?

    Finished bottle. Disappointing. If Ardmore isn't peaty, what distinguishes it?

    Opened another bottle and pleasant enough, but what distinguishes it from any other Highland Region output? Maybe some wood? Color appears to be bourbon.

    2nd bottle taste July 2025. 25 years in a presumably bourbon refill hogshead with 266 bottles. The best Ardmores are peaty, but this does seem to have mild heather. A little oiliness, dried fruits, wood, honey. Citrus in the background. It has to compete with a number of good Highlands, so I find nothing remarkable, especially since it's cask strength at 25 years in the cask.

Tasting tags lock-03

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  • Chocolate
    Chocolate
  • Citric
    Citric
  • Coal-gas
    Coal-gas
  • Cooked Fruit
    Cooked Fruit
  • Cooked Mash
    Cooked Mash
  • Cooked Vegetable
    Cooked Vegetable
  • Dried Fruit
    Dried Fruit
  • Fragant
    Fragant
  • Fresh Fruit
    Fresh Fruit
  • Green-House
    Green-House
  • Hay-like
    Hay-like
  • Honey
    Honey
  • Husky
    Husky
  • Kippery
    Kippery
  • Leafy
    Leafy
  • Leathery
    Leathery
  • Malt Extract
    Malt Extract
  • Medicinal
    Medicinal
  • Mossy
    Mossy
  • New Wood
    New Wood
  • Nutty
    Nutty
  • Oily
    Oily
  • Old Wood
    Old Wood
  • Plastic
    Plastic
  • Rubbery
    Rubbery
  • Sandy
    Sandy
  • Sherried
    Sherried
  • Smokey
    Smokey
  • Solvent
    Solvent
  • Sweaty
    Sweaty
  • Toasted
    Toasted
  • Tobacco
    Tobacco
  • Vanilla
    Vanilla
  • Vegetative
    Vegetative
  • Yeasty
    Yeasty