16/02/2023 Ardmore

66.25 22yo 1985/2007 Pink ladies and dark chocolate (52.3%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill Hogshead, 295b): nose: a hefty serving of rich earth, soil, or potting soil, chocolate, and mulch. Some fruit manages to pull through, after a minute or two, so earthy it is barely distinguishable. We have crisp green apple, fallen off the tree, papaya, lychee rind, mangosteen rind, bread fruit rind, rambutan. In a nutshell (pun obviously intended), tropical fruits that come in an inedible, medium-hard skin. That morphs again to turn slightly boggy, craggy, not quite to a stagnant-water level, yet there is definitely an impression of damp earth. Even later, dishwater surfaces, a drop of washing-up liquid in a sink full of earthy water. The second nose has forest floor, maybe even petrichor, yet in a forest full of citrus trees and pine trees, then. Mouth: earthy on the tongue too, it has a more-pronounced and acidic fruitiness, with pink grapefruit taking the lead. The texture is thicker than grapefruit juice, though -- think: peach juice, but more acidic. It takes a while of swirling around the tongue to detect any alcohol, strangely enough. Instead, an earthy, root-y haze dominates the palate: chicory infusion, Jerusalem artichokes, citrus-tree roots. The second sip introduces a faint bitterness that hardly competes with the afore-mentioned acidity, a musty cellar in a country house in the Ardenne (yes, singular), and dry logs for the fire. In fact, that vague woodiness becomes more assertive, if it remains specific -- it is not an impression I have felt anywhere other than in the south of Belgium. Finish: softly mint-y, in a Tic Tac way, the dials quickly turn to lime (lime Tic Tac, innit), and root beer. The ABV is, again, hardly noticeable, although that does not prevent a long, lingering finish. It is simply a procession of flavours, rather than a pow in the kisser. Desiccated pink-grapefruit peels, lime leaves, lemon mint, and roots of all kinds, dropping clods of earth. Further gulps appear sweeter, and... pink. Suggestion at play? Perhaps. It is hard to explain. Maybe it is reminiscent of those pink ladyfingers from Champagne. In any case, it is as pleasant as it is original! Green-house scents rock up via retro-nasal olfaction, a blend of soil, earth, and clay pots, overheated plants and spray cans of fertiliser, yet also an open jar of marmalade, as well as hints of milk chocolate and cactus, at the death. Very good! I think I like it better than the first time. 8/10