Ardmore 2010/2023 Signatory Vintage 13 years old 100 Proof Edition #4 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 57.1%

100 proof is not a round number, it is a historical measure. In the British system it corresponds to 57.1% alcohol, and that is exactly where every single bottle in this series sits, whatever the distillery and whatever the age.

The Expert's Description

Ardmore 2010/2023 Signatory Vintage 13 Years Old 100 Proof Edition #4 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill Oloroso Sherry Butts and bottled at 57.1%. Cask 137 was distilled in 2010 and bottled on 5 December 2023.

The 100 Proof series gathers single malts from different Scottish distilleries, all bottled at precisely the same strength. That makes the series an unusually clean comparison: with the alcohol content identical, the differences between distillery and cask stand out without the strength clouding the picture.

Here Ardmore’s peated Highland spirit meets first fill Oloroso wood. It is a forceful combination, since fresh sherry casks give dark fruit, tannin and colour in quantity, and the smoke has to work to get through. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark fruit first: raisins, prunes and preserved cherries. Beneath sit dry smoke and roasted nuts, along with a resinous sherry note that only first fill casks provide.

Palate

Full and dark. Raisins and bitter chocolate open, then the smoke arrives as a dry undercurrent alongside spiced oak and black pepper. At 57.1% the concentration is considerable, and sherry and smoke pull in opposite directions all the way.

Finish

Long and spiced. Dark fruit, ash and oak tannin, with a warmth that lingers well afterwards.

Specifications

Name: Ardmore 2010/2023 Signatory Vintage 13 Years Old 100 Proof Edition #4 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 57.1%
Distillery: Ardmore
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 57.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill Oloroso Sherry Butts, cask no. 137
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2010
Bottled: 5 December 2023
Edition: 100 Proof Edition #4
EAN no.: 5021944125081

Flavour Profile

Sherry Matured · Smoky · Dark Fruit · Spiced · Cask Strength · Nutty

Did You Know?

The proof system comes from an old British method of checking whether spirit had been watered down: you poured it over gunpowder and set it alight. If the powder burned, the spirit was strong enough and had passed the proof. One hundred degrees proof was later fixed at 57.1% alcohol, and that is exactly the strength this series is bottled at.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Ardmore 2010/2023 Signatory Vintage 13 Years Old 100 Proof Edition #4 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 57.1%

What does 100 Proof mean?

It is the British proof system, where 100 degrees proof corresponds to 57.1% alcohol. It is not the same as the American system, where 100 proof is 50%. Every bottle in Signatory’s 100 Proof series sits at precisely 57.1%.

Why bottle every release in the series at the same strength?

Because it makes comparison possible. With the alcohol content identical you can feel the difference between distilleries and cask types without the strength interfering. It is a series built for people who taste systematically.

How do first fill sherry casks affect the whisky?

Strongly. A first fill Oloroso cask gives up far more colour, tannin and dark fruit than a refill. That brings depth and body, but it also demands a spirit with character enough not to be run over.

Can you still taste the smoke through the sherry?

Yes, but it sits underneath rather than on top. Ardmore’s peated character comes through as a dry earthy undercurrent in the middle of the dark fruit, and it grows clearer the longer the whisky sits in the glass.

Does it need water?

At 57.1% it usually makes sense. A few drops open the sherry fruit and calm the tannin without the whisky losing body. See other styles in our range of Highland Whisky.

What is Edition #4?

The fourth selection in Signatory’s 100 Proof series. Each edition consists of several bottles from different distilleries, all bottled at 57.1%, and this Ardmore is one of them.