Little Brown Dog Ardlair 12 Year Old
Key Facts About This Scotch
Bottler: Little Brown Dog
Distillery: Ardlair (Ardmore)
Region: Highlands, Scotland
Age: 12 years old
Distilled: 22/02/2014
Bottled: 23/02/2026
Spirit: Single malt scotch whisky
Cask Type: Bourbon barrel finished in a cognac barrique
Alcohol by Volume: Cask strength, 52,6%
Bottled: Natural colour and without chill filtration
Outturn: 186 bottles
Bottle Size: 700ml
Ardlair 12 Year Old Tasting Notes
Colour: Beeswax.
Nose: Muscovado, glazed carrots, fruits of the forest yoghurt.
Palate: Apricot jam, spiced pear, extra virgin olive oil.
Finish: Green tea, thyme and lime.
About this Little Brown Dog whisky
This Ardlair 12 Year Old from Little Brown Dog offers a fascinating look at the unpeated side of Ardmore’s spirit - a style rarely seen and often overlooked. Bottled under the Ardlair name, this Highland single malt highlights a softer, more nuanced profile compared to Ardmore’s typically peated output.
Distilled on 22 February 2014 and bottled on 23 February 2026, the whisky began its maturation in a bourbon barrel, building a clean and structured foundation of vanilla, fruit, and gentle oak. It was then finished in a cognac barrique, a cask choice that brings a refined, slightly vinous character, adding depth, subtle sweetness, and a gently herbal complexity that complements the spirit rather than overpowering it.
Ardlair’s naturally weighty, slightly oily texture is key here. The bourbon cask keeps the profile bright and composed, while the cognac finish introduces a more layered, almost savoury dimension. The result is a whisky that feels both familiar and quietly unusual.
On the nose, muscovado sugar and glazed carrots create a rich, slightly earthy sweetness, joined by a creamy fruit note reminiscent of fruits-of-the-forest yoghurt. The palate develops into apricot jam and spiced pear, with an intriguing thread of olive oil adding texture and depth. The finish moves into a more herbal register, with green tea, thyme, and a lift of lime bringing freshness and balance.
Bottled at cask strength (52.6% ABV), with natural colour and without chill filtration, this is a whisky that rewards attention: complex without being heavy, and distinctive without being eccentric for its own sake. With an outturn of just 186 bottles, it’s a compelling example of how thoughtful finishing can reveal a different side of a familiar distillery.
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