Ardmore SMWS 66.93 “Smoked Porridge”

Growing up, as one does when one lives in a Rockwell painting, I had lots of porridge. I never knew about Quaker Oats packages, or the different flavours. I knew that it was cooked on the stove, it was thick, and I covered it in brown sugar.

Now my time living as Oliver with parents didn’t leave me with bland flavours, and I hope that my past reviews show that. They did, however, leave me with enjoying porridge.

So when Ardmore SMWS 66.93 “Smoked Porridge” came out to be drank, I was quite interested. I like Porridge. I enjoy peated Ardmore. And finally, I have childhood memories of porridge, and thus a high standard for it.

So let’s see how this tastes, shall we?

Price: $117.99 CAD

Region: Speyside

Date Distilled: June 2005

Age: 11 years

Cask Type: Refill hogshead

Outturn: 270

Abv: 59.9%

Colour: 7.5Y 9/4

Nose: Smoked bread, pear, moss, lemon pie, peach, porridge

No, I haven’t had smoked bread. However this smells like smoked bread. Or what I would assume the flavours of bread plus smoke smell like.

It’s an odd dram. It has lots of the cereal on the nose, however the smoke seems to be tied right into it. Perhaps this is what peated barley smells like? I have to visit Islay when I’m able to to confirm.

Taste: Extra light maple syrup, smoke, butter, mango

Very light maple syrup tastes more of liquid butter with some maple around it. I recommend it if you don’t love overly sweet maple syrup.

This has that flavour. The butter and maple is both there, and is dominant. There’s some smoke as well. It’s simply sweet, cereal, and tasty, however… also fruity with some water. Not going to blow your mind with flavours, however nicely balanced.

Finish: Gasoline, lemon peel, smoke, lemongrass, espresso, wood, pineapple funk

Finish is quite brash.

Big flavours here. Lots to write down. Hard to keep up. It goes from simple to complex in a second.

Love it. There’s earth, rough elements, and lots to dive into.

Conclusion: If the nose was a bakery to lead you in, the taste a good salesman to sell you on something, then the finish is a hooker with a heart of gold who awakens some new things in you.

And now you wish that I would open such a shop. Maybe when I retire, if the laws can be setup right.

The name here is appropriate. Again Ardmore impresses me with their strong, earth peat flavours. The finish has no place in an 11 year old, and should be on something twice it’s age. That’s what you drink it for.

85/100

Scotch review #735, Speyside review #205, Whisky Network review #1220