Ardmore 2010/2022 Signatory Vintage 12 Year Old Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 46%

Three casks from April 2010 sat for twelve years before somebody decided they belonged together. That is the kind of choice that never makes it onto the label, yet it decides what ends up in the glass.

Please note: This bottle has wear and rust on the cap.

The Expert's Description

Ardmore 2010/2022 Signatory Vintage 12 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon casks 800518, 800527 and 800531 and bottled at 46%. It was distilled in April 2010 and bottled in November 2022 in Signatory’s Un-Chillfiltered Collection.

The Un-Chillfiltered Collection was created for those who want single malt in its most natural form: bottled without chill filtration and without added colour, so the whisky reaches the bottle as it came out of the cask, apart from an adjustment of strength to 46%.

Three bourbon casks give a broader starting point than one. Each cask has its own small quirk, and vatted together they even each other out. The result is an Ardmore where the peat smoke and the malt sweetness hold each other in balance rather than one cask’s character dominating.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Toasted malt and dry smoke first, with honey and baked apple behind. There is a light coconut and vanilla note from the bourbon wood and a fine, clean cereal floor running through it all.

Palate

Full and malty. Honey and vanilla open, then the smoke arrives as a dry earthy floor along with a touch of pepper and citrus peel. After twelve years the edges have been smoothed off, and balance is the real strength here.

Finish

Medium to long. Malt, honey and dry smoke, letting go slowly and cleanly.

Specifications

Name: Ardmore 2010/2022 Signatory Vintage 12 Years Old Single Highland Malt Whisky 46%
Distillery: Ardmore
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks no. 800518, 800527 and 800531
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: April 2010
Bottled: November 2022
Edition: The Un-Chillfiltered Collection

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Malty · Honeyed · Vanilla · Dry · Balanced

Did You Know?

Signatory Vintage was founded in 1988 by Andrew Symington and is today one of Scotland’s most prolific independent bottling houses. The company also owns the Edradour distillery in Perthshire, and Signatory’s warehousing and bottling facilities sit right beside it. The journey from cask to bottle is therefore a short one.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Ardmore 2010/2022 Signatory Vintage 12 Years Old Single Highland Malt Whisky 46%

Why use three casks instead of one?

To get a larger and better balanced release. Each cask has its own character, and vatting three together evens out their quirks. In return you lose the wholly individual expression of a single cask.

Is it still single malt with three casks?

Yes. The term only requires that the whisky comes from one distillery and is made from malted barley. The number of casks has no bearing on the definition.

What is The Un-Chillfiltered Collection?

Signatory’s range for whisky bottled without chill filtration and without added colour, typically at 46%. The series gathers hand-picked releases from distilleries across Scotland, chosen for their honest expression and clear flavour profile.

What does chill filtration actually mean?

That the whisky is cooled and filtered to remove fatty acids that can make it hazy at low temperatures. The process also strips out some body and mouthfeel, which is why many skip it at 46% or above.

How does it differ from the eleven year old from 2021?

One more year in cask and one more cask in the vatting. The twelve is a shade rounder and more composed, while the eleven is a little more direct. Both are plain bourbon casks with no Islay past. See our full range of Highland Whisky.

Does the rust on the cap affect the contents?

No. Wear and rust on the capsule are cosmetic and do not affect the whisky as long as the bottle is closed and the seal intact.