Ardlair 2011/2023 Signatory Vintage 12 Year Old Sherry Butt Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 63.4%

Two casks filled on the same day, in the same warehouse, with the same spirit. One was emptied in January, the other in March. Fourteen months and four digits separate them, and they do not taste alike. That is exactly why single casks are interesting.

The Expert's Description

Ardlair 2011/2023 Signatory Vintage 12 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a refill Oloroso Sherry Butt and bottled at 63.4% cask strength. Cask 900028 was distilled on 27 January 2011 and bottled on 8 March 2023, giving 622 bottles in Signatory's Cask Strength Collection.

Ardlair is the Ardmore distillery’s unpeated whisky, and because there is no smoke to contend with, the cask can work directly on the spirit’s fruitiness. The refill sherry cask gives a complex, fruity profile without drowning the spirit’s own character, and that balance is the whole point of a refill cask over a first fill.

The whisky is bottled without chill filtration and with natural colour. Ardmore sits at Kennethmont in Aberdeenshire and has been running since 1898.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh apples first, then pistachios and burnt almonds. A dry sherry note sits behind, along with a light salted caramel sweetness that ties it together. At 63.4% the alcohol is obvious, so give the glass a little time.

Palate

Creamy in texture despite the strength. Dried fruit and nuts open, then salted caramel and a clear sherry character with spiced oak underneath. The whisky is powerful, yet it has finesse enough not to be merely power.

Finish

Long and persistent. Nuts, dried fruit and a dry oak close, where the sherry lets go last.

Specifications

Name: Ardlair 2011/2023 Signatory Vintage 12 Years Old Sherry Butt Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 63.4%
Distillery: Ardmore
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 63.4%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Oloroso Sherry Butt, cask no. 900028
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 27 January 2011
Bottled: 8 March 2023
Number of bottles: 622
Edition: Cask Strength Collection

Flavour Profile

Sherry Matured · Nutty · Fruity · Creamy · Cask Strength · Spiced

Did You Know?

Ardmore makes medium peated whisky at around 12 to 14 ppm, which is low compared with Islay but unusual for a Highland distillery. It is one of very few in the region where peat smoke is the core style rather than a side project. Ardlair is the part of the production where the peat is left out.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Ardlair 2011/2023 Signatory Vintage 12 Years Old Sherry Butt Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 63.4%

How can two casks from the same day taste different?

Because every cask is its own small environment. The density of the wood, how much sherry was left in the staves, and where the cask sits in the warehouse all affect maturation. Two casks filled on the same day can therefore end up markedly different after twelve years.

What does refill mean in the cask type?

That the cask has held whisky before. It gives up less colour, less tannin and less sweetness than a first fill cask, which is why the spirit’s own fruitiness can still be heard through the sherry here.

Why does the bottle say Ardlair and not Ardmore?

Because Ardlair is the name the distillery uses for its unpeated production. Same place, same stills, same people, only the malt is different. There is no peat smoke in this bottle.

Is 63.4% unusually high?

It is at the high end but not abnormal for a single cask at twelve years. Cask strength simply means the whisky was bottled without dilution. Where the figure lands depends on the cask, the warehouse and the evaporation.

How is it best enjoyed?

Start with a small measure neat, then add water gradually. At this strength water makes a real difference, and the whisky turns fruitier and less sharp. A tulip-shaped whisky glass helps too.

Will it suit someone who normally drinks sherry bombs?

Partly. There is clear sherry, but the cask is refill, so the profile is brighter and nuttier than the heavy dark style from first fill wood. If you want raisins and chocolate in bulk, there are more forceful bottles.