Ardmore 23 Year Old 1998 Cask #750764 (Elixir Distillers)

A 23 year old single cask Ardmore released by Elixir Distillers in 2021 under The Single Malts of Scotland banner, distilled in 1998 and bottled at 51% natural strength. Elixir, founded by Sukhinder Singh of The Whisky Exchange family, has built one of the most consistent Ardmore warehouse positions among modern independents. Cask #750764 sits in the same 750xxx fill series as sister casks #750768 (SMOS), #750789 (Whisky Trail) and #750802 (A.D. Rattray), all four drawn from the same 1998 warehouse run. 245 bottles for the event market.

Distilled in 1998 at the standard Ardmore peat level of 12 to 14 ppm phenol, the spirit was filled at 63.5% into a single ex Bourbon refill American oak cask and matured in dunnage at Kennethmont. The wash stills operated on direct coal firing throughout the distillation. Twenty three years brought the strength to 51% naturally, with no chill filtration applied at bottling.

Refill Bourbon at this maturity frames distillery character cleanly. Cis whisky lactone gives soft coconut and pine, vanillin and syringaldehyde from oak lignin build a baked custard and light caramel layer. Coal era furfurals from direct flame distillation carry through as toasted oat and brown sugar. Apple and pear esters from the Kerry yeast component sit prominently, with inland peat reading as heather smoke, dry leaf and earthy phenolic at integrated moderate intensity.