Ardmore 9 Year Old 2008 Cask #702426 (Whisky Import Nederland)

A 9 year old single cask Ardmore released by Whisky Import Nederland in 2017 under the First Cask range, distilled in 2008 and bottled at 58% natural strength. Whisky Import Nederland has operated as one of the longest standing Dutch single malt importers, with First Cask carrying their own selected single cask programme alongside broader distribution work. The 2008 vintage falls in the early Beam Global ownership period at Kennethmont, with the 2014 Legacy launch and the 2024 Suntory Global Spirits restructure both still in the future. 265 bottles for the Netherlands market.

Filled at 63.5% into a single ex Bourbon refill American oak cask in 2008, the spirit matured at Kennethmont under the post 2001 steam heating regime. Nine years brought the strength to 58%, with no chill filtration applied at bottling. The peat load and 54 to 55 hour fermentation on Mauri and Kerry yeast both stayed at standard distillery spec.

Refill Bourbon at this age frames distillery character cleanly. Cis whisky lactone gives soft coconut and pine, vanillin from oak lignin builds a baked custard register. Steam era distillate reads cleaner than coal era stock, with apple and pear esters from the Kerry yeast component sitting prominently at the centre. The 12 to 14 ppm peat phenols read as heather smoke, dry leaf and earthy phenolic at moderate integrated intensity.