Ardmore 11 Year Old Cask #800218 Fury of the Obsidian Colossus (Brave New Spirits)

An 11 year old single cask Ardmore released by Brave New Spirits under the WhiskyHeroes Fury of the Obsidian Colossus release, distilled in 2013 and bottled at 55.9% natural strength with an Oloroso profile. The WhiskyHeroes programme runs across multiple distillery releases bottled by Brave New Spirits with themed character art labels referencing comic and mythical figures. 220 bottles for the European market from cask #800218. The 2013 vintage falls in the early Suntory Holdings ownership period at Kennethmont via Beam Suntory, formed by the 2014 acquisition of Beam Inc by Suntory Holdings.

Filled at 63.5% in 2013, the spirit matured at Kennethmont under the post 2001 steam heating regime in an Oloroso seasoned cask. Eleven years brought the strength to 55.9%, with no chill filtration applied at bottling.

Oloroso at this maturity drives rancio compounds, dried fruit oxidation products and tannic structure. Furfural and 5 hydroxymethylfurfural from the wood read as walnut and toasted hazelnut. Quercetin tannins give a dry grip across the palate. 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. A nutty smoky sherried finish closes the profile.