{"product_id":"smws-whisky-sample-66-217-ardmore-24-year-old-cliche-but-who-cares-2022-release-30ml-53-7","title":"SMWS Whisky Sample 66.217 Ardmore 24 Year Old Cliché, but Who Cares? 2022 Release (30ml, 53.7%)","description":"\u003ch2\u003eSMWS Whisky Sample 66.217 Ardmore 24 Year Old Cliché, but Who Cares? 2022 Release (30ml, 53.7%)\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003eThis SMWS 66.217 is a rare opportunity to taste Ardmore at a very advanced age. While the distillery is the workhorse of the Highlands (and the heart of many famous blends), its older expressions possess a refined, Highland peat that is vastly different from the medicinal punch of Islay.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDistilled in 1997 and matured for over two decades in a\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e2nd-fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel. I\u003cspan\u003et allowed the spirit to breathe for 24 years without being dominated by fresh oak. It captures that elusive \"Highland smoke\"—earthy, ashy, and dry—rather than the \"wet\" or \"seaweed\" smoke of the coast.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"6\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"6\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"7,0,0\"\u003eNose: A beautiful mix of heather honey and dunnage warehouse dust. There are notes of dried apricots, beeswax, and a gentle, persistent soot. As it breathes, you get a hint of paraffin and old leather.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"7,1,0\"\u003ePalate: The texture is creamy and substantial. It opens with vanilla fudge and salted caramel, but then the \"Ardmore signature\" kicks in—smoked malts, wood ash, and a touch of white pepper. There is a delicate, orchard-fruit sweetness (red apples and pears) hiding in the background.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"7,2,0\"\u003eFinish: Long, warming, and elegantly dry. It leaves a lingering trail of tobacco leaf, coal dust, and a final kiss of sweet honey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"9\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"9\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eWhy this bottle is special\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"10,0,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"10,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eHighland Peat vs. Islay Peat:\u003c\/b\u003e This bottle is special because it showcases the \"dry\" side of smoke. If Islay is a bonfire on a beach, this is a hearth in a stone cottage. It’s earthy, vegetal, and refined.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"10,2,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"10,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eThe Age Statement:\u003c\/b\u003e 24-year-old Ardmore is a rarity. This bottle is special because it represents the distillery at its peak of maturity, just before the oak begins to take over. It’s an \"old school\" Highland malt that doesn't need to shout to be heard.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Chameleon Whisky","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53949217046803,"sku":null,"price":17.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0799\/9383\/1699\/files\/SMWSArdmore24YearOld66.217ChilieButWhoCares.jpg?v=1773593094","url":"https:\/\/chameleonwhisky.com\/products\/smws-whisky-sample-66-217-ardmore-24-year-old-cliche-but-who-cares-2022-release-30ml-53-7","provider":"Chameleon Whisky","version":"1.0","type":"link"}