Review by: The Muskox
The Feathers Pub has quite the reputation on r/Scotch (or at least it did back when like half the reviewers here were from Toronto). Their bar seems to have been mostly assembled around 2002 – rare and underpriced whiskies abound. Where else can you get a glass of 1978 Benromach for $17 CAD?
Like all bars in Toronto, they’ve had a rough run the past couple years. They have a robust non-whisky-drinking crowd so they haven’t closed, but their selection has started to shrink, fill levels are getting low, and the prices of their highest-value bottlings have gone up. Still, the menu is filled with dusty IBs distilled in the 80s and 90s for under $20 CAD, and a pour of a delicious Brora is yours for just $50 CAD. Pretty ludicrous. I highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Toronto. The only reason I’m not there more often is that I live clear on the other side of town!
Today’s selection (after finding out that their bottle of Inchgower 25 1975 OMC ($23 CAD a glass!!) was sold out) is this ancient Ardmore. Interesting distillery, good bottler, positive Whiskybase reviews, distilled in the 70s, only $30 CAD a glass, I figured it was hard to go wrong. Then I saw the fill level of the bottle, about 15%, and started to worry…
Distillery: Ardmore.
Bottler: Douglas Laing.
Region: Highlands.
ABV: 50%.
Age: 21 years old. Distilled November 1979. Bottled in March 2001.
Color: No colour added, un-chillfiltered.
Nose: Soft, sweet smoke. It definitely seems to have softened as the bottle has sat at a low fill level. Very distant campfire. Sea salt and chewy caramel. Fresh-baked peach cobbler, some fresh pears, and grapefruit pith. Soft floral herbs, maybe herbs de Provence. A bit of a soft minerality – rock dust and graphite.
With two drops of water, there’s a bit more earth and a slight leathery savouriness.
Palate: Whoa, this drinks much closer to 40% than 50%. How long has this bottle been open? Very soft texture, but still somewhat oily. Arrives gently with charred marshmallow, banana, dried flowers and sandalwood, then slowly building into earthy-sour peat smoke. The smoke is still gentle here but more robust than on the nose. Tar and soot, peppered grilled meat, leather, and somewhat withdrawn oak.
The water (barest minimum added to avoid further dilution) again adds a slightly savoury note, this time very subtle tobacco, as well as some more minerality.
Finish: Medium-length, with lingering oily stickiness. Peat-forward at first, with notes of machine shop, black pepper, and Montreal-style smoked meat, then softening up. More peach and burnt marshmallow, along with chocolate-covered macadamias. A hint of lemon and beach sand.
Water adds an interesting cooked veg flavour.
Possible SMWS bottling name: “Last time to get funky”
Notes: I’d have loved to have tried this in its prime, but even now, it’s a gorgeous whisky. It’s gorgeous despite its flaws, in a way that points to it once being phenomenally good. Despite the obvious weakening from time in the bottle, there’s complexity, an acceptably oily texture, great structure, and a layered and delicious finish. This kind of moderately-peated old-style malt is all too rare nowadays. I’ll have to shell out for that Rare Malts Millburn next time.
Final Score: 87.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 