Ardmore 23 Year Old 1997 Cask #901310 (Jewish Whisky Company)

A 23 year old single cask Ardmore released by the Jewish Whisky Company in 2021 under the Single Cask Nation label, distilled in 1997 and bottled at 52.5%. Single Cask Nation operates as a curated subscription bottling programme out of the US, sourcing from established broker networks and warehouse holders. Cask #901310 sits in the same 901xxx series as the WhiskyNerds release and within range of G&M's 900xxx Ardmore cask cluster of the period. 262 bottles for the German market.

The 1997 distillate falls inside the late Allied Distillers period, with direct coal firing of the wash stills still in operation through the distillation. The spirit was filled at 63.5% into a single ex Bourbon refill American oak cask and matured in dunnage at Kennethmont. Twenty three years brought the strength to 52.5% naturally, with no chill filtration applied at bottling.

Refill Bourbon at this maturity frames distillery character without overwhelming it. Cis whisky lactone gives soft coconut and pine, vanillin from oak lignin shows as light vanilla custard. Coal era furfurals from direct flame distillation carry through as toasted oat and brown sugar at this age. Apple and pear esters from the Kerry yeast component sit at the centre, with the 12 to 14 ppm peat phenols reading as heather smoke, dry leaf and an earthy phenolic note rather than dominant smoke. A soft lactic creamy edge closes the finish.