Gold Label + Ardlair 9 Year Scotch

Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee offered the first single barrel bourbon in 1984, drawing inspiration from Colonel Albert Bacon Blanton's practice of singling out handpicked barrels and bottling them one at a time for VIPs back in the 1940s. He named it Blanton's Single Barrel, and ultra-premium bourbon was born.

Often described as a bolder, more pronounced version of the original Blanton's, the Gold Edition is bottled at a higher proof. It's distilled from a sour mash of corn, rye, and malted barley then aged in American white oak with a dark #4 char. It was created for discerning connoisseurs who appreciate exceptional smoothness and a clean finish in their bourbon whiskey.

The nose is first marked by spicy rye and tobacco notes. Caramel and honey follow soon after, mingled with dark fruit and citrus notes. The palate emulates the same complex nose with rye, tobacco, and honey at the forefront. Round and bold notes of charred oak and vanilla carry you through to an extremely long and harmonious finish. This bourbon consistently delivers on balance and character, on par with the world’s finest whiskey. Best served neat or with a splash of water.

Although categorized as a Highland whisky, Ardmore Distillery flirts heavily with the South-east peripherals of Speyside, located at the foot of the Grampian hills. Big and brash, it is also known for flirting heavily with peat— at least some of the time.

Both spirit styles are produced at separate times of the year, where the point of difference in production is the Phenol level of the barley delivered to the distillery. ‘Ardmore’ is the heavily peated single malt whereas ‘Ardlair’— or ‘Ardless’ as it’s sometimes known— is the unpeated single malt. Although each spirit is vastly different in character, because Ardmore and Ardlair are from the same distillery, they can be vatted together and still be called a single malt.

This 2010 Ardlair 9 Year Scotch is fantastically assertive— rich and nutty with bags of the Highland character. The addition of water reveals layers of complexity, and a softer side that is not immediately apparent. The taste is off-dry with notes of gentle vanilla, mixed nut, sweet almond, and citrus.

Buy the bourbon and get the scotch for just $0.01. Keep it for yourself, or pass it on as a gift.