Ardmore 14 Year Old 2009 Cask #2594 (Best Dram)

A 14 year old single cask Ardmore released by Best Dram in 2023, distilled in 2009 and bottled at 58.9% natural strength with a Palo Cortado profile. Best Dram operates from Germany with focus on natural strength single cask single malt releases and a recognisable label design programme. Cask #2594 sits in a 2009 numbering cluster running from approximately #2594 to #2618 that is traceable across multiple European bottlers, suggesting a parcel of casks bought through a common cask broker channel and distributed across the German and European indie market over the early 2020s. 610 bottles for the German market.

Filled at 63.5% in 2009, the spirit matured at Kennethmont under the post 2001 steam heating regime before transfer into a Palo Cortado seasoned cask for the latter stages. Fourteen years brought the strength to 58.9%, with no chill filtration applied at bottling.

Palo Cortado at this maturity delivers a distinctive sherry character profile, sitting between Amontillado nuttiness and Oloroso body. Furfural and aldehydes from oxidative ageing read as walnut, toasted almond and caramelised raisin. Quercetin tannins give a dry savoury grip. Steam era distillate underneath shows apple and pear esters from the Kerry yeast component, with the 12 to 14 ppm peat phenols reading as heather smoke, dry leaf and earthy phenolic at integrated intensity. Cooked fruit, nutty sherry and a smoky savoury finish close the profile.