Ardnamurchan sherry cask - review

 Whisky Review 

Ardnamurchan Sherry cask release (2022)   

ABV: 50%

RRP: £60

"There is enough influence from each of its cask mix, offering classic leather and dark fruits from the oloroso and sweetness from the PX sherry. Mixed in with just a subtle amount of peat smoke. "

B

A quick search for this distillery on twitter, now known as X or whatever, will show their handle as @distillery1826. This was the year that the Adelphi distillery was built, upon the banks of the river  Clyde.  Their website offers a detailed history of how Adelphi has influenced the birth of Ardnamurachan distillery which officially opened in 2014. Proud of their heritage, their bottles display their location within the western highlands in their glass blown print as a major feature on their core releases. Stylish and ticking the boxes of natural colour and non chill filtered, this distillery has quickly made a name for itself amongst whisky enthusiasts, with most limited releases selling out super-quick. 

This sherry release was placed firmly on my 'whisky wishlist', without ever having the trigger pulled as i try to reduce my whisky spending budget this year. But it felt a sign when I came across it at the Newcastle Whisky Festival this year and having tried a sample I simply couldn't resist the urge any longer.  

Nose: Honey and bacon. Its sweet and savoury upon the nose. There is some salty sea breeze amongst the sweet caramel and leather notes. 

Taste: Strong dark fruits upon immediate arrival. Its delicate and the alcohol doesn't cause any distraction on the palate. Bonfire is a dominant note I'm getting. A lovely blend of sweet honey and fantastic barbequed meats, all washed down with a drying smokey, bonfire finish. Stunning liquid!

Score: 

8/10

This is, without doubt, excellent whisky. Its hard to believe a whisky of this age (circa 5 years) has this much depth, flavour profile and quality. There is enough influence from each of its cask mix, offering classic leather and dark fruits from the oloroso and sweetness from the PX sherry. Mixed in with just a subtle amount of peat smoke. 

There is no youth brashness either. Its composed and too mature for its own right. This whisky carries a briefcase to school and has earned the right to do so! But there will be no finger pointing from its youthful peers, instead they hold onward looks of jealousy, admiration and reverence. Student of the week amongst its age group for me. Bravo Ardnamurchan, bravo!!

*This whisky was self-purchased and the above review reflects my personal opinions only. 

Ardnamurchan AD 09.22 (cask strength) review

  Whisky Review 

Ardnamurchan AD 09.22 

ABV: 58.4%

Maturation: bourbon with 5% sherry. (80% peated and 20% unpeated) 

"A hint of spice tingles at the tongue whilst the youthful character of this dram gives a powerful punch"

 

Nose: 

This certainly starts with a sweet aroma. I'm getting sticky toffee pudding, a touch of spice and the peat smoke is evident on the nose. Burnt sugar, like crème brulee. A small helping of berries and charred oak.    

Taste:

A hint of spice tingles at the tongue whilst the youthful character of this dram gives a powerful punch. Sea salt and strong notes of almonds and peanuts. The smoke offers a drying ashy aftertaste with black pepper and gin. 

Summary:

I first sampled Ardnamurchan in early 2023 at a festival, where I tried the core 46% bottling next to the cask strength. I certainly preferred the cask strength in offering more punch and flavour and I was, and still am, impressed by the bang for the buck you get with this cask strength bottling. I look forward to seeing where this distillery go in terms of future releases which are proving popular amongst the whisky community. A sign that what they're doing in terms of releasing high quality whisky at affordable prices will hopefully continue going forwards. 

Score: 

6/10

This is a good 6. Its a great cask strength offering which ticks all of the boxes which most whisky enthusiasts look for. This retails at approximately £65 but can be found cheaper online at auctions. Ardnamurchan are a distillery quickly making a name for themselves and I for one will certainly be on the lookout for future releases. The 6 is just due to personal palate preferences, but in terms of its quality, pricing and availability, it gets a thumbs up from me! 

*This whisky was self-purchased and the above review reflects my personal opinions only.