Review # 9, Ardmore Peated:

E-flat walks into a bar, The bartender says, sorry, we don't serve minors......

Ardmore Peated:, 46%, NCF, $39 Total Beverage

**Color:**  Amber 0 -1 plus slight orange hue, small tears, thin legs.

**Nose:**  Peat, malt, pears, oak, coffee, Shoe polish, wax, tea

**Taste:**  Slight Burn, peat, brine, tree fruit, apples, pears, honey, ginger, smoke, burnt rubber, burnt toast

**Finish:**  Bitter, ginger, soapy, woody

**With Water:**  N:  Smoke, Peat, Brine, less fruit.  T:  Tamed burn, pear, peaty.

**Score:**  Taste:  65,  Value:  10,  Uniqueness:  3,  By Again: 2  Total:  80

My first impression when I opened the bottle was not bad.  This whisky is less peated than a number of Islays, but enough to take note of.  The nose and initial taste are not too bad either, but sadly it resolves to a weak, slightly bitter finish that comes across a bit industrial and processed.  Depending on the day I might re-score it plus or minus a couple points.  Still prefer this to most blends I’ve had.