Ardmore 25 Year Old Thompson Bros 48.9% 70cl

Ardmore tends to fly under the radar. The Highland single malt Scotch maker is usually reserved for blends, but its unusual, earthy, peated expressions can sometimes be found with a little bit of searching. Independent bottler Thompson Bros has made it easy for us with this vatting of two refill hogsheads, aged for a remarkable 25 years. Just 463 bottles have been released at natural colour and without chill-filtration so act fast if you like the sound of this.

Official tasting notes:

Nose: Sindhri mango, kumquat, farmyardy, scented petrol, pinot gris, fennel leaves, a gorse bush that is on fire

Palate: Barbecued yellow fruits, creamy texture, lemongrass, akin to an early 90s frog, eucalyptus, a lovely balance of phenols and sweetness

Finish: Dark chocolate with some biscoff, ashy and round at the very end