At about $50 retail, there is rare value to be found in the soon-to-be-released Ardmore Traditional Cask. Unlike most Highland malts, it’s peated, so that it carries a smoky flavor, but one that is much softer, less salty and sweeter than malts from Islay. You get a gentle blend of smoke, vanilla and sweet ripe fruit flavors, and a full, succulent finish. The U.S. has been allotted 3,000 nine-liter cases.