Ardmore 2012/2022 Càrn Mòr 9 years old Single Highland Malt Whisky 47,5%

Càrn Mòr means the great cairn in Gaelic, and the Strictly Limited range is the house’s younger half: whisky that has not yet reached double figures but already has something to say. This one is nine years old and comes from a bourbon barrel.

The Expert's Description

Ardmore 2012/2022 Càrn Mòr 9 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a Bourbon Barrel and bottled at 47.5%. It was distilled in 2012 and bottled in 2022 in the Strictly Limited range, giving 1,184 bottles.

Strictly Limited is Càrn Mòr’s range for younger releases, all bottled at 47.5% and typically composed from a small group of casks. Over the years the series has held whisky from Glen Ord, Bunnahabhain, Benrinnes, Ben Nevis, Pulteney, Caol Ila, BenRiach and Mortlach, and now Ardmore too.

Nine years in a bourbon barrel is enough for Ardmore’s peated character to settle without being rounded away. The smoke is still fresh, and the cask’s vanilla and cereal stand clearly beside it. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured. Càrn Mòr is part of Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Toasted malt and dry smoke first, with vanilla and pale honey behind. There is green apple and a light coconut note from the bourbon wood, and it all reads clean and young.

Palate

Fresh and malty. Vanilla and baked apple open, then the smoke arrives as a dry earthy line along with white pepper. At 47.5% the body is good, and the youthful freshness is part of the point rather than a shortcoming.

Finish

Medium length. Malt, dry smoke and a light oak dryness that lets go cleanly without bitterness.

Specifications

Name: Ardmore 2012/2022 Càrn Mòr 9 Years Old Single Highland Malt Whisky 47.5%
Distillery: Ardmore
Bottler: Càrn Mòr
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 9 years
ABV: 47.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon Barrel
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2012
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 1,184
Edition: Strictly Limited
EAN no.: 5060109229295

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Malty · Vanilla · Fresh · Dry · Spiced

Did You Know?

Càrn Mòr is run by Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, one of Scotland’s oldest whisky families. The same house is behind the Aberargie distillery and the Old Perth range. The family formally traded as Morrison & Mackay until October 2020, when the name was changed to the present one.

See our full range of Ardmore
See our full range of Càrn Mòr

Frequently Asked Questions about Ardmore 2012/2022 Càrn Mòr 9 Years Old Single Highland Malt Whisky 47.5%

What does Càrn Mòr mean?

It is Gaelic and means roughly the great cairn, those piles of stones stacked up across the Scottish landscape as burial markers or waymarks. The name refers to something lasting built from many parts.

What is Strictly Limited?

Càrn Mòr’s range for younger releases, all bottled at 47.5% and typically composed from a small number of casks. Over the years the series has held whisky from a long list of Scottish distilleries.

Is nine years too young?

No, not for a peated whisky. Smoke works well young, when it is still fresh and direct, and a bourbon barrel works fast enough to give vanilla and body in nine years. Older is not automatically better.

Who is behind Càrn Mòr?

Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, one of Scotland’s oldest whisky families. The same house owns the Aberargie distillery in Perthshire and is also behind the Old Perth blended malt range.

How does Ardmore taste at 47.5%?

There is more body than at 46% and less concentration than at cask strength. It is a strength where the whisky can be drunk neat without needing water, while still carrying enough weight that the smoke does not vanish. See our full range of Highland Whisky.

How many bottles are there?

1,184 bottles were filled. That is larger than a single cask release but still a limited outturn, and no more of this exact composition will be made.