The Intoxicologist

The information contained within is quite lengthy, but highly informative.  Beam Global announced the release of special bottling, Ardmore 30 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, in time for Father’s Day.  Not only is this fine Scotch, it is an investment at $450 per limited edition, individually numbered bottle.  That being the case I felt it pertinent to give as much information as possible about the liquid gold one might think of bestowing upon a worthy Father this Dad’s Day. 

Don’t pass this by too quickly from the price of the Ardmore 30 Year Old alone.  Beam Global knows every Dad is worthy of admiration, respect and special thanks for his love, dedication and hard work.  It is why we are reminded of the Ardmore Traditional Cask which is readily available, yet still prized for its superior taste.  Read about both bottlings, the process that goes into creating the finished product and the creators behind it all. 

The following information is courtesy of Beam Global:

Ardmore 30 Year Old – Aged in former bourbon barrels and handmade quarter casks, Ardmore 30 Year Old bears the same name and pedigree as its predecessor, but reveals a distinctive finish and rich, complex flavor all of its own. Only 1,428 bottles, each individually numbered, are available exclusively in the United States.

Ardmore 30 Year Old Official Tasting Notes

Color Bright gold

Nose Without water, the peat smoke is not apparent as only the full rich intensity appears. Adding water allows the many layers of complexity to come through. The immediate aroma is fragrant rather than powerful and the scent of roses and violets blend with a slight citrus note that masks the gentle peat smoke.

Body Full, round and soft

Taste At bottle strength, the peat comes through as a slightly dry licorice tang. When water is added, the peatiness is smoothed and softened by a cream toffee and flower gentleness.

Finish Quite dry and very long lasting

Ardmore Traditional Cask Tasting Notes

Color Burnished Gold

Nose At bottle strength the influence of the two styles of maturation casks complement each other producing a full-bodied smooth aroma. The maturity that shows through comes from the American barrels and the spicy creamy nose from the old style smaller casks. A touch of water allows the full complexity of the Highland peated malt to appear. The rich softness linked with the smooth, slightly dry aroma is combined with just enough earthy peat smoke to avoid being overpowering.

Taste At bottle strength the full rich flavors burst and fill the mouth with a creamy peat tang and a touch of a vanilla’s soft gentleness. If a touch of water is added then the flavors increase with the addition of a sweet ripe fruit start followed by the tang of peat.

Finish Full, succulent and quite long

Media Release: Strengthen Dad’s Spirits Portfolio this Father’s Day with Newly Released Ardmore 30 Year Old Scotch Whisky

Rare, Handcrafted Scotch Whisky Is a Treasured Gift Dad Will Savor Throughout the Year

Deerfield, Ill. – May 19, 2009 – This Father’s Day, with 401(k) statements still grim and the stock market volatile, make a “liquid” investment in your dad’s happiness with a rare bottling of Ardmore 30 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.  With only 1,428 individually numbered bottles produced exclusively for the U.S. market, Ardmore 30 Year Old is a special gift guaranteed to pay flavorful dividends for dear old dad.

“Your father, like most people, might need an emotional bail-out this year,” said Simon Brooking, Beam Global Scotch ambassador.  “Ties or tickets to a ball game might not be enough.  Ardmore 30 Year Old is a rare bottling that will improve anyone’s whisky portfolio, as well as lift spirits.  It’s simply exquisite.”

Crafted from the only Highland distillery that consistently peats its barley, Ardmore weaves bold, smoky flavor notes historically associated with Islay malts into the rich Highland malt experience. Ardmore 30 Year Old offers a floral nose with light citrus notes and a slightly dry licorice tang at taste and carries a dry, very long-lasting finish. It is priced approximately $449.99 per 750ml bottle (varies per market) and is available where fine spirits are sold.

“Regardless of the state of your portfolio, Ardmore 30 Year Old will add a splash of excitement and complex taste to what has been a relatively dreary year,” said Brooking.  “For the serious collector of fine spirits or the simple fan of rare whiskies, it’s a winning investment.”

To round out Dad’s Scotch portfolio, also consider giving Ardmore® Traditional Cask ($45-$50).  Ardmore is a luxury spirit for those who appreciate the qualities of extraordinary whisky.  For more information, please visit www.ArdmoreWhisky.com.

About Beam Global Spirits & Wine

Inspiring conversations around the world, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., is building brands people want to talk about. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for our brands, including Jim Beam® Bourbon, Sauza® Tequila, Canadian Club® Whisky, Courvoisier® Cognac, Maker’s Mark® Bourbon, Laphroaig® Scotch Whisky, Cruzan® Rum, Larios® Gin, Whisky DYC®, Teacher’s® Scotch Whisky, DeKuyper® Cordials and Liqueurs, Knob Creek® Bourbon and Starbucks™ Liqueurs. Beam Global Spirits & Wine is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO), a leading consumer brands company. For more information on Beam Global Spirits & Wine, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.

Ardmore Single Malt Scotch Production Fact Sheet

MALTING

Purchased to optimize fermentation and ultimately, spirit yields, Ardmore uses locally grown barley for the purposes of malting. While this is no longer carried out on premises (the Ardmore malting closed in the 1960’s), the distillery staff still manage the process from grain purchase through to malt production.

The characteristic peat flavor that differentiates Ardmore™ Traditional Cask from other mainland Malts is derived from the peating levels specified during the malting process. Classified as light or medium peated, Ardmore typically peats its malts to between 12 to 14 parts per million. To ensure local authenticity in the making of Ardmore, the maltsters source the peat from a bog at New Pitsligo in Aberdeenshire. Ardmore is the only Highland distillery to have continuously used a fully peated malt in the production of its spirit.

Stored in twelve 90 ton bins, with a further four 50 ton bins for overfill/emergency use, the distillery has a total malt storage capacity of 1,280 tons; which is pretty big by Malt distillery standards. This storage capability allows the distillery to rest its malt for two to three weeks before it is used.

MILLING

The malted barley is crushed through a traditional Boby Patent Two-High Mill, believed to date from the 1930’s. This creates the Grist – a mixture of husk material, coarse grits and fine flour. Sugars will be extracted from the grist during the mashing process.

MASHING

The Ardmore Mashtun reflects the idiosyncratic nature of the Ardmore distillery, comprising as it does a cast iron body (good for heat retention), with stainless steel semi-lauter mashing gear. The distillery will mash 12.48 tons of malt to generate 60,000 liters of Wort, the sweet liquid from which the spirit will be fermented.

Unlike other malt distilleries Ardmore mashes its second water at an exceptionally high temperature of 95°C. (Most distilleries will do this at between 85 to 90°C.) The third water is applied at a temperature close to 100°C to ensure the maximum extraction of sugars from the Grist. The Sparge is then collected and used as the first water for the next Mash.

Ardmore draws its water from 15 springs on the Knockandy Hill some 1,425 feet above sea level and due North of the distillery; cooling water comes from the burns nearby.

FERMENTATION

Ardmore has ten 45,000 liter and four 90,000 liter Washbacks (fermentation vessels) which are made from Scottish Douglas Fir. The distillery has resisted the temptation to install stainless steel vessels, believing that additional flavor compounds are derived through fermentation in wood. 60,000 liters of Wort is placed into each individual (or pair of) washbacks, to which a blender of Distiller’s Yeast is added. The fermentation head is left to develop for a period of between 53 and 60 hours.

DISTILLATION

Ardmore’s four Wash Stills and four Spirit Stills make it one of the biggest malt distilleries in Scotland, capable of producing approximately five million liters of spirit per year.

The Wash Stills are charged at 15,000 liters and Low Wines collected for between five to five and a half hours. The Spirit Stills, which are differentiated by their slightly longer necks, are charged at a slightly higher level of 15,500 liters with the distillation cycle lasting for about eleven hours.

All Spent Lees (spirit distillation waste) is treated through the distillery’s own copper removal plant, which is believed to have been the first in the Scotch whisky industry. Since the conversion from direct fired coal to indirect steam heating in 2001, Ardmore now makes two types of spirit, Ardmore (fully peated) and Ardlair (unpeated). Ardlair is named after a set of standing stones a few miles from the distillery and it is principally used for blending by other distillers as a blending malt.

MATURATION

Young, high in strength and colorless, the spirit must grow old in wood, mellowing and maturing while it takes on the color, taste and aroma of casks of seasoned oak. At Ardmore the majority of the spirit is used to produce Teacher’s Highland Cream. Spirit destined for Teacher’s is placed in large Spanish oak Puncheons holding up to 550 liters. Here it will sit for around six years slowly maturing before blending.

The maturation of Ardmore Traditional Cask takes place in ex-American Bourbon Barrels holding 190 liters of spirit. Matured on site the casks will lie awaiting the time when the Master Blender believes they are ready, before being transferred to quarter casks for finishing.

Reflecting more traditional times before standard bottling age became the norm, no hard or fast rules apply to the time the spirit will lie in either cask or indeed when it will be bottled. This is down to the judgment and experience of the Master Blender who will decide when the spirit is right.

Ardmore Single Malt Scotch Biographies

Robert Hicks – Master Blender

After a distinguished 40-year career in Scotch Whisky, much of it as a Master Blender, Robert Hicks is responsible for the quality and flavor of Laphroaig® Islay Single Malt, Ardmore™ Traditional Cask, and Teacher’s® Highland Cream.

Mr. Hicks was awarded the first ever Distiller of the Year honor by the International Spirits Challenge in 1998, which he won again in both 1999 and 2003. He then received the Lifetime Achievement Award in London in March 2006.

Alistair Longwell – Distillery Manager

Glasgow-born Alistair Longwell began his career in whisky with an engineering apprenticeship with WM Teacher & Sons. He received a National Certificate and a Higher National Certificate in Electrical & Electronic Engineering and completed his apprenticeship at Allied Distillers Kilmalid facility, having worked in every department on the site.

After completing a Certificate in Training Practice and a Diploma in Management Studies, Alistair received a position with Allied Distillers’ (Domeq’s) Malt Distilleries management team, which took him to all of Allied’s malt distilleries: Ardmore, Glenburgie, Glencadam, Glendronach, Glentauchers, Laphroaig, Scapa and Tormore. He also spent a short time as relief manager at ADL’s Beefeater Gin Distillery in London.

In 2005, his career came full-circle, when he became the distillery manager of Ardmore, which was founded by WM Teacher & Sons.

Simon Brooking – Master Ambassador

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and a member of the Robertson Clan, Simon traces his roots back to the 13th Century and the Celtic Earls of Atholl.

A well-known expert on Scotch whisky, Simon has worked for a number of leading Scotch distilleries, learning the art and science of distilling from the world’s foremost master distillers and blenders.

For over 10 years, Simon has led hundreds of Scotch whisky tastings for consumers, bartenders and social organizations. Both informing and entertaining, his presentations have made him an in-demand speaker and spokesperson.

Simon’s love of Scotland’s Highlands and Islands has paved the way to his present position as the Master Ambassador for Ardmore and Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch whiskies.