Ardmore – 'Tamashii' 9 Years Old (70cl, 56.7%)

This is a 9 year old Highland single malt from Ardmore, matured in a refill bourbon barrel and bottled at a natural cask strength of 56.7% in a 70cl bottle. Mizunara bottled it for its 4th anniversary. Tamashii means soul or spirit in Japanese, and the label was designed by the Japanese artist Kenro Shinchi. The release was limited to 251 bottles worldwide. The nose is typically described as subtle peat smoke, charcoal ash and earthy notes with sweet vanilla, honey, citrus and tropical fruit such as banana. The palate pairs vanilla sweetness with saltiness, then pepper, cloves and dark chocolate, leading to a long, complex finish.