This whisky is the core single malt from the Ardnamurchan distillery in the western Highlands. It represents the first permanent bottling, which has been joined by many single cask or small batch releases, since the inaugural single malt was released in October 2020. Since then, the distillery has won multiple awards worldwide for their whiskies. The AD/ is a 50:50 marriage of peated and unpeated spirit, which have both been matured in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks
Ardnamurchan was founded in 2014 by independent whisky bottlers Adelphi Selection. It is located in the village of Glenbeg on the remote Ardnamurchan Peninsula and is the most westerly distillery on the UK mainland. It has an annual production capacity of 500,000 litres, but is currently operating at around 350,000 litres per year.
Production is split – half is unpeated and the other half peated to a level of 30-35ppm (Phenol Parts per Million). The distillery is also one of the most eco-friendly in Scotland with everything taken from and returned to the local environment.
The Ardnamurchan AD/ is bottled at 46.8% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. It is available in selected specialist whisky retailers in the UK and selected world markets. A bottle should cost £47-£50. For further information on Ardnamurchan – please visit. www.ardnamurchandistillery.com.
Our Tasting Notes
The colour is light gold and the nose is warm, savoury and inviting. Aromas of rich floral honey and gentle earthy peat smoke hit first and are quickly joined a delicious herbaceous feel (think of thyme especially), plus hints of golden syrup and cream soda. Further hints of fresh apricot and an evolving minerality – think flinty and a little chalky – are also evident.
On the palate this whisky has a lovely mouth feel – it is creamy and rich with a slight oily quality, which is punctuated by a pinch of white pepper. The creaminess is reminiscent of good crème brulée and this is backed up by a fresh fruit juiciness – imagine the apricot from the nose again and fresh guava juice.
Then comes burnt caramel, custard cream biscuits and a distinct minerality – this has a hint of saline and a slightly flinty feel. This is directly connected to the savoury but gentle peat smoke, which wisps around everything and holds the elements together. The smoke is reminiscent of lingering ash or bonfire smoke in your clothes the day after.
The finish is of decent length and is drawn out by the smoky elements. The confected sweetness and fruity nature fade and this allows some softer spices and some oak come through nicely. This, combined with the peat smoke, gives the finish a drying and mouthwatering feel.
What’s The Verdict?
The Ardnamurchan AD/ is a lovely whisky and one we enjoyed very much. It is also impressive for their first permanent bottling. It is a fine example of a mid-level smoky whisky, and exhibits a great balance between the fruit characteristics and a soft creaminess. It feels very much of its region – we were imagining having a dram of this at the distillery in its remote coastal west Highland location and it would fit perfectly. Decently priced too.
While AD/ is a core product, there are many other special small batch bottlings. We also tasted a couple of other examples that came with our AD/ sample – the AD/09.22 Cask Strength and AD/10.22 Madeira Cask. Please find some brief tasting notes and thoughts below:
Ardnamurchan AD/09.22 Cask Strength (58.2% ABV) | ashy and medicinal peat smoke, damp seaweed and moss, warm sand, vanilla patisserie custard, apricot jam, plenty of marzipan, dried tropical fruits – banana, mango and pineapple, golden syrup, flinty and chalky.
Ardnamurchan AD/10.22 Madeira Cask (58.4% ABV) | roasted pineapple, grilled asparagus, elegant soft peat smoke, waxy wood polish, candied lime, crumbly brown sugar, loads of tropical fruit – juicy mango and papaya, vanilla, hot and peppery with ash on finish.
