Ardmore 16 Year Old 2009 Cask #2602A (Whisky AGE)

A 16 year old single cask Ardmore released by Whisky AGE in 2025 under The Whisky Blues No. 105 release, distilled in 2009 and bottled at 62% natural strength. Whisky AGE is an Italian independent bottler with focus on natural strength single cask releases, with The Whisky Blues series running across multiple distillery releases at sequential numbered editions. Cask #2602A sits in the 2009 numbering cluster running from approximately #2594 to #2618 that is traceable across multiple European bottlers, indicating a parcel of casks bought through a common European broker channel. The 2009 vintage falls in the early Beam Global ownership period at Kennethmont with steam heating on the wash stills since 2001. 305 bottles for the Italian market.

Filled at 63.5% into Oloroso seasoned European oak in 2009, the spirit matured at Kennethmont under the post 2001 steam heating regime. Sixteen years brought the strength to 62%, indicating dry warehouse conditions across the period.

Oloroso at this maturity and strength drives intense rancio compounds, dried fruit oxidation products and tannic structure. Furfural and 5 hydroxymethylfurfural from the wood read as walnut and toasted hazelnut at concentrated delivery. Quercetin tannins give a dry grip. Steam era distillate 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 long warm sherry finish closes.