Ardmore 9 Year Old 2008 Bourbon and Oloroso (spirit stock)

A 9 year old Ardmore released by German bottler spirit stock in 2018, distilled in 2008 and matured in a combination of ex Bourbon and Oloroso casks before vatting at 58.1% natural strength. spirit stock has operated as a small format German indie since the early 2010s, with a recognisable typographic label aesthetic and a focus on dual cask maturation work. 201 bottles for the German market.

Distilled in 2008 at the standard Ardmore peat level of 12 to 14 ppm phenol, the spirit was filled at 63.5% with portions going into ex Bourbon and Oloroso seasoned oak respectively, matured at Kennethmont under the post 2001 steam heating regime. Nine years total ageing brought the final vatting to 58.1%, with no chill filtration applied at bottling.

The double maturation produces a layered profile. Ex Bourbon contributes cis whisky lactone as coconut and pine, vanillin from oak lignin as baked custard. Oloroso contributes polyphenol oxidation as walnut and fig, melanoidins as dark caramelised fruit, eugenol from seasoned oak as clove and warm spice. Steam era distillate sits cleanly between the two, with apple and pear esters from the Kerry yeast component at the centre. The 12 to 14 ppm peat phenols read as heather smoke and earthy phenolic at moderate intensity.