Review #969 - SMWS 66.260 'Post-Bonfire Bath Bomb' - Ardmore 27 Year
Each year, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society releases a series of bottlings based around the different regions of Scotland; in 2026, this 27 year old Ardmore was one of their selections for the Highland region as a part of this 'Festival Collection.' The Society categorized this single malt in their new 'Smoky & Fruity' flavor profile.
This Ardmore first spent about 24 years maturing in an ex-bourbon hogshead, the treatment that the majority of SMWS whiskies received before finishing. Then, for the final 3 years or so, they moved this whisky into a second fill red wine cask, specifically a Cabernet Sauvignon cask with a size of 300 liters.
Of course, SMWS bottlings aren't generally cheap to begin with, and these older age-stated bottles generally command even more of a premium. For a 27 year Ardmore, they charged a price of $350 here in the US.
SMWS 66.260 'Post-Bonfire Bath Bomb' - Ardmore 27 Year
Scotland/Highland - Single Malt
Price: USD 350 (2026)
Age Statement: 27 Years
Strength: 51.3% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon hogshead, finished in a second fill Cabernet Sauvignon wine cask
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled May 27, 1998; 215 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 4 months; bottles at 70%, 60%, and 30% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Subtle woody peat and heather, quite floral, with a bit of wood smoke. It starts off dense and closed off; time helps this open to oranges, malt, hay, and stone fruits like tart peach. Lavender, mineral notes, and rose water are further accents; overall, it's a subtle nose.
Palate: The mouthfeel is medium-thick - nice oily texture combines with a buttery malt flavor. The peat starts soft but grows to a medium influence, and we also get a bit of drying oak - tannins, chili powder, charcoal. Salted dark chocolate, brown sugar, and mineral notes are juxtaposed by fruit flavors of strawberry, orange, tart peach, and even an occasional hint of effervescent watermelon.
Finish: Ashy, day-old campfire notes, a bit of damp oak and some medium strength peat smoke. Heather and dried grass lead a floral finish, and while it's still subtle overall, it does linger for a while. Savory dark fruits, rosemary, sage, vanilla, brine, chicken broth, and orange blossom appeared across out tasting sessions.
Final Note: A surprisingly quiet single malt, but maybe that shouldn't actually be a surprise - age has mellowed the peat, which wasn't quite heavy in the first place, and the natural cask strength has diminished nearer to 50% ABV. It's a floral and malty/grassy whisky as a base, and while we also found a decent variety of fruit flavors across our tastings, one thing we didn't find much of was oak (for a whisky of this age). There's some spice on the palate, and wood smoke was apparent a few times, but we would have guessed this was a much younger whisky if given it blind.
Still, it's a pleasant drinker, one that you have to be in the mood for if you want to dig in and get the most out of it. It wasn't really what we were expecting when we purchased the bottle, but we're still glad to have it.
Value-wise, we don't think it's great, though. This was an expensive bottle, a rare splurge, and while the flavors are good, they weren't as excellent as we had hoped given the specs of this bottle. This one reinforces how much variation there can be in single cask whiskies, and how buying them can be a bit of a lottery.
Our Rating: 7.7 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 4.35
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Ardmore reviews:
Review #879 - ImpEx Collection Ardmore 14 Year Single Cask
Review #787 - SMWS 66.198 'Serene Sunset Satisfaction' - Ardmore 23 Year
Review #786 - SMWS 66.228 'Damp Blue Peat Smoke' - Ardmore 9 Year
Review #594 - SMWS 66.229 'Tarred and Re-Feathered' - Ardmore 15 Year
