Ardmore 14 Yrs

In 1898 the Teacher family built Ardmore, to secure access to single malt for their eponymous blend. Although the family no longer owns Ardmore, the product is still at the core of Teacher’s Highland blend. Until 2002 the pot stills were directly fired, in a time that most distilleries already had switched to indirect heating. The impressive furnaces can still be seen in the still house. Ardmore has had different owners over time, among which a Spanish (Allied Domecq) and an American one (Jim Beam). In 2014 Suntory took over Beam and since then Ardmore is owned by the Japanese. To celebrate that event Ardmore Legacy was launched.

Water source: 15 different springs on Knockandy Hill

Malt source: Commercial maltings

Capacity: 5.55 million litres of alcohol per annum

Location: Kennethmont, Eastern Highlands/Speyside

A quick attack of iodine and smoked fish with a background of barley bread. Then grapefruit and pine nuts followed by floral notes like gardenia, honeysuckle and jasmine. A very interesting and versatile dram with a quick finished, laced with sweet liquorice. Smoky, fruity and floral.

This is a dram that caters to all taste buds.

Equipment

• 1 cast iron semi lauter mash tun with a copper dome (12.5 ton)
• 16 washbacks (Douglas fir)
• Fermentation time: 70 hours
• 4 wash stills
• 4 spirit stills
• Middle cut: not published

Ardmore is medium peated, which is rather unusual for a Speyside single malt. It is a perfect introduction to the peaty style for those not acquainted with that style yet. The distillery also makes an unpeated version called Ardlair, which is strictly used for blending purposes.