Ardmore 9 Year Old 2013 Cask #2093 (A.D. Rattray)

A 9 year old single cask Ardmore released by A.D. Rattray in 2023, distilled in 2013 and bottled at 56.2% natural strength across a combination of ex Bourbon maturation and a Red Wine finish. A.D. Rattray is a long established Scotch whisky operation founded in 1868 by Andrew Dewar Rattray, currently based in Ayrshire under Morrison family ownership with an extensive independent bottler programme. The Individual Cask Release range carries their core single cask single malt line. 211 bottles for the European market from cask #2093. The 2013 vintage falls in the early years of Suntory Holdings ownership of Ardmore via Beam Suntory, formed by the 2014 acquisition of Beam Inc by Suntory Holdings.

Filled at 63.5% into ex Bourbon refill American oak in 2013, the spirit matured at Kennethmont under the post 2001 steam heating regime before transfer into a Red Wine cask for the latter stages. Nine years brought the strength to 56.2%, with no chill filtration applied at bottling.

Red Wine finishing contributes anthocyanin pigments, tannins and residual wine character on top of the Bourbon base. The wine derived compounds read as red berry, plum skin and a faintly resinous edge. Steam era distillate underneath 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 moderate integrated intensity. A savoury fruited smoky finish closes.