The Thompson Bros have a lot going on, but we think their independent bottling business is still the most prominent part. I was able to pick up a sample set with a few 2024 releases.
We start with an Aultmore 14 Years. This combines two 2008 rye barrels with a third of a 2009 Oloroso seasoned octave (the rest of which is bottled for Dornoch Castle). Next up: two 25+ year old whiskies from Inchgower and Ardmore.
Aultmore 14 yo 2008+2009 (48,5%, Thompson Bros 2024, first fill rye barrel + Oloroso octave)
Nose: an interesting balance of spice and sherry. Brown bread, leathery notes, along with plenty of nutty notes. Walnuts, hazelnuts. Vegetal oils. Then some green olives, nougat and orange peels. Rather savoury with a fairly lightweight profile.
Mouth: more spice now. White pepper (evolving towards chilli), hints of nutmeg and ginger. Orange peels return, with roasted pumpkin bread, almonds and hints of marmelade. A hint of spiced honey. Then also a winey edge, perhaps the combination of spice and sherry that gives it a tannic impression. Hardly any fruits.
Finish: spicy, with hay and a hint of milk chocolate. Medium length.
A fairly savoury style of sherry, more towards Amontillado than Oloroso. The lack of fruits and the rye influence make this a rather uncommon whisky.
Inchgower 27 yo 1997 (52,3%, Thompson Bros 2024, refill hogsheads, 406 btl.)
Nose: a spirit-driven Speyside style, fairly bright, with nice fruits (pineapple, peach, stewed rhubarb), some floral honey, vanilla and hints of buttery baked goods. Light toffee notes, dried grasses, a bit of cornflake sweetness even. Then some salted almond and nutmeg as well.
Mouth: fruits again, creamy and lightly exotic. There’s pineapple, tangerine and mango. Then barley sugars, still some cornflakes, sweet almonds and cashews. Still some grassy hints. Mid-palate a little baking spice comes out, like ginger and nutmeg.
Finish: quite long, with lingering fruits (mango and orange), creamy custard and an unexpected salty edge.
A very solid and very charming Inchgower. The creamy fruitiness is the highlight here, with added complexity from savoury elements and a pinch of salt. Still available from The Whisky Exchange or Royal Mile Whiskies for instance. Score: 89/100
Ardmore 25 yo 1998+1999 (48,9%, Thompson Bros 2024, refill hogsheads, 463 btl.)
Nose: the familiar sooty smoke and charcoal notes, along with apricots, orange peels and lemons, the usual chalk and hints of wet pebblestones. Classic mature Ardmore. Then hints of burlap and leaves, with a hint of unripe mango after a while.
Mouth: a nice fruity element again, showing green banana and gooseberry. Then herbal notes (thyme), gorse and chalky notes, along with some medicinal touches. Hints of aspirin and paraffin. Some phenolic notes as well, cold ashes.
Finish: Medium to long, still mineral and ashy, with subtle hints of salted fruits.
Always sophisticated and pleasant, these old Ardmores. Some of them have more fruits than this cask, but overall a great dram. Also available from The Whisky Exchange or directly from Thompson Bros. Score: 89/100