Welcome to the Tasting Ledger, the place on Long Pour Amour where we collect tasting notes for the more contemporary bottlings. Ardnamurchan is as contemporary as it gets. The distillery produced its first spirit exactly 10 years ago, and this is celebrated with their first 10 years old release, that we are going to taste today. I have to say, Ardnamurchan was a favourite of mine from the get-go. I do not remember where I got it, but someone slipped me a sample of their new make spirit soon after production started, and already then I was mightily impressed with the quality.
Ardnamurchan, to me, seems to have found a signature style that fits in with other west coast malts like Ben Nevis, Oban and – further down – Springbank. There is just this raw quality that seems unbothered by whatever cask you put the stuff in. This has resulted in some stellar releases already, and also some impressive independent expressions. This seems only logical, seeing as Ardnamurchan sprouted from the roots of an independent bottler themselves. The name Adelphi is synonymous with quality, and they have translated this into Ardnamurchan as well. The journey to the double digit age stated whisky always seems longer than a century, but it was a delight to follow. I will happily keep following this distillery. Let us taste a couple of them.
Ardnamurchan 10/AD, 10 years old, bottled at 50 % abv
First things first: A batch of 15.000 bottles made up from unpeated ex-bourbon matured and Paul Launois Barrique matured Ardnamurchan, bottled at 10 years old.
Upon Sipping: After an initial whiff of lemons, the Paul Lanois influence takes control of the character of this celebratory Ardnamurchan. It is a layer of complexity on top of a very mellow and vanilla’ed soul. I pick up some cake frosting with sponge cake underneath it. Very meadowy fresh, but on the horizon we see mountains, and that air has been caught in the glass too. Finally, after some breathing, we get treated on fruity notes like peaches, plums, and apricots.
Smooth is maybe a word that makes you itch, but believe me: on the palate, this Ardnamurchan is smooth like silk. There is a balanced wood note that makes the spirit spicy rather than bitter. The mouthfeel is so deliciously sticky that if you keep it there long enough, you’d might forget you’re sipping whisky instead of chewing croissant with apricot marmalade. On the finish, the champagne character leaves its imprint with a bitterish sparkle indeed.
Word to the Wise: On the one hand, I would have preferred an Ardnamurchan without any “exotic” influences like, in this instance, the Paul Lanois casks. But in all fairness, the variety of casks used for maturing Ardnamurchan has become part and parcel of the signature of this distillery. I accept this as the house style and judge it accordingly. This is a delightfully fruity, characterful dram that is a proud achievement after 10 years of being part of the Scotch whisky fold. Congratulations, Ardnamurchan!
Score: 88 points.
Ardnamurchan 7 years old, bottled at 57,1 % by WhiskySponge
First things first: This Ardnamurchan was Edition No. 100 in the WhiskySponge range, and was made from spirit matured in Sherry Octave and Refill Sherry Butt. Outturn was 534 bottles.
Upon Sipping: Nicely balanced between forest fruity notes and a more darkly herbal character that could come from Mediterranean markets. There is a lot of wood present on the nose, so the pressure cooking in the octave cask has paid off. I am not the biggest fan of small casks for ageing, but it left a mark on this whisky that seems to be just right.
The taste is full of flavour, with a strong hit of deep red cherries and dark chocolate brick that has a vein of strawberry running through it. With a dash of water, I feel like putting a pan on the fire and making some mulled wine. Don’t forget to put in the orange with clove. Yeah, I am drinking this at the beginning of December, and it feels just right for the time of year. On the finish, the juicy chocolate notes make for a long sendoff. The peat adds a signature of smoke and … cinnamon?
Word to the Wise: Ardnamurchan produces such a great spirit that it can stand up to the heavy cask influence here. It needed the help of a peaty tang, though. Otherwise, I fear the Ardnamurchan would have drowned in sherry notes. As it stands, it is a perfect marriage between all aspects involved.
Score: 88 points
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