Ardmore 11 Year Old 2008 The Bookinist (Hunter Laing)

An 11 year old Ardmore released by Hunter Laing in 2019 under The Bookinist series, distilled in 2008 and bottled at 59.4% natural strength. Hunter Laing was formed in 2013 when Stewart Laing split from Douglas Laing to operate independently, with the new company building a distinct identity through themed series including The Bookinist (literary references), The Sovereign and Old & Rare. The 2008 vintage falls in the early Beam Global ownership period at Kennethmont, with the wash stills running under steam heating since 2001. 216 bottles for the Belgian market.

Filled at 63.5% into a single ex Bourbon refill American oak cask in 2008, the spirit matured at Kennethmont under the post 2001 steam heating regime. Eleven years brought the strength to 59.4%, with no chill filtration applied at bottling.

Refill Bourbon at this maturity gives a clean oak frame around distillery character. Cis whisky lactone reads as soft coconut and pine, vanillin from oak lignin shows as light vanilla custard. Steam era distillate reads cleaner than coal era stock, with apple and pear esters from the Kerry yeast component sitting prominently at the centre. The 12 to 14 ppm peat phenols read as heather smoke, dry leaf and earthy phenolic at moderate integrated intensity rather than dominant smoke. A soft creamy lactic edge closes the finish.