Ardnamurchan AD/10
Sauternes AD/Venturer Double Cask & Sauternes Cask Release | 50% ABV
In a Year of Excellence, a Final Statement of Intent Arrives.
The sun is swinging its arc so acutely across the sky that, even at midday, the shadows stretch for miles. Up here; 57° north of the equator, the sun barely makes it above the hills on the horizon.
That harbinger of life was visible today for the first time in a long time, and the difference it made to my mood was palpable. When the clouds remain stubbornly attached together, as they have done for what feels like months now, the world below is cast into a pale grey lifeless pallor. Much like our faces.
The darkness descends, swiftly. We’re prepared this year for the isolating power of the void outside our windows. Stringing up bright lights along the bushes that run the length of our driveway affords a reference point bobbing about in a sea of black that reminds us; there’s life beyond the glass. Daylight, the half-lit grey blanket that smothers the soul, draining all semblance of glow that the summer sunshine recharged. A cyclical rejuvenation followed by a reduction. I love it. The polar opposite of anything is better than an omnipresent median.
It’s been a quick, but fairly successful year overall. My whisky year has been superb, and despite living on the same latitude as Alaska, have managed to attend all the whisky events I wanted, besides the Hebridean Whisky Festival, which coincided with one of the windiest days we’ve endured this year. For a festival held in gazebos pinned toTorabhaig’s car park, it was a life-preservation choice to stay at home and watch the steel rain smash into the window.
As the turn of the year approaches my thoughts naturally turn to reflection, about what I saw, what I did, drank and shared in whisky. So much to consider, from Fife Whisky Festival’s photographing duties and Seve beard-wetting Lindores excitement, through to Raasay Warehouse fiddling in the sweltering late summer heat, my trips around the country in homage to the Uisge Beatha have all been core memories. Glasgow Whisky Festival being the culmination of all those sentiments, rolled into one gigantic ball of life.
It’ll surprise no one to say that my whisky of 2024 is an Ardnamurchan. It might even enrage some of you, which is understandable.
For three years now I’ve lauded Ardnamurchan’s whisky, writing tens of thousands of words in praise of their whisky, people, attitude, direction and perception. I just can’t, and don’t want to, shake off the Ardnamurchan way.
This year has been more of the glorious same from them bods in Glenbeg. I’ve bought and tried a barrow load of Ardnamurchan this year, and all of it has ranged from solidly excellent to downright spectacular. Last year the Rum Cask Release, something I didn’t quite get on with, feeling that the interfacing of rum casks muted the typically illuminating way of their spirit, made me worry that some things just don’t work with Ardnamurchan spirit. This year there hasn’t been anything released, from Ardnamurchan directly or Independents, that’s landed even a bit squint.
For the first 3 months of 2024 I put Ardnamurchan aside in the spirit of exploration, seeking out other things that I might have been missing as a result of my immersion in Ardnamurchan’s world. I found Glasgow and some astonishingly good whisky; their small team of exciters are building serious momentum. Lindores surprised me at Fife, Ben Nevis popped eardrums through Woodrows and their Bloodtub alchemy, and many other bottles made my face stretch upwards in delight, burrowing down many subsequent rabbit holes. So much great whisky to enjoy.
Come April and with scant pickings from Ardnamurchan, I jumped on the chance, after seeing an Instahoot reel from DJ, to procure a bottle of their latest hand-fill: an unpeated Golden Promise 5yo sherry cask that blew the hinges off the doors. For all my dabblings in other things, returning to Ardnamurchan after a prolonged hiatus reminded me in no uncertain terms of why I love it so much. The more I feed my face with Ardnamurchan coins, the brighter my lights glow.
May saw the AD/Venturer’s 8yo Sauternes Double Cask arrive, and to this moment my bottle still remains closed. I don’t know why I’ve been keeping it sealed, but there’s no time like the present. I’m not one to sit on unopened bottles usually, feeling the blunt axe of mortality move my sausage fingers to the tin zip - I can’t take it with me, and I just know my last thoughts would be “...but what did the Sauternes bottle taste like?” This is bottle one under review today.
May also saw a contender for whisky of the year, through the first of three flood releases of Golden Promise Oloroso whisky; The George Hotel, The Good Spirits Company and The Whisky Exchange all released Ardnamurchan single casks at the same time, with as near as dammit the same constitution. For completionists like me it was a nightmare of choice, but months after, and even now, some of those bottles remain on sale; and that’s a wonderful thing. I went for the George Hotel bottling and loved it almost as much as the hand-fill, making light work of the bottle. More recently I picked up the Good Spirits Company version too, because Golden Promise Ardnamurchan is manna from heaven.
One final throw in May, the Glenbeg stable released one of their tongue-in-cheek bottlings that had a strangely polarising effect. The Midgie, in collaboration with the insect repellent brand Smidge, the scent of which forms the backdrop of the Highlands between May and October every year, made some whisky folk literally repel positing that any whisky that tastes like insect spray, is unforgivable. In reality it’s one of the greats, upping the ABV slightly and bringing some gorgeous oiliness to the party. An amped AD core release, in many ways, but with the addition of Sauternes and Madeira in there, the texture and grip is very much elevated.
July welcomed the latest Paul Launois to the world and it was another fantastic expression, building upon 3 years of consistency in bright, fizzy, zingy whisky. This year was the best of the bunch. I decided not to chase this year’s but still managed to find it easily - it’s true what oor Commander says - whisky always finds a way. Another reference point on the dotty plot of Ardnamurchan whisky and, as we’d see later in the year, Paul Launois would form part of a milestone release for the distillery.
August was a significant month for me, turning 40 and spending a bit of time at Ardnamurchan Distillery, trying some whisky inside the warehouses that did two things: made me feel immeasurably lucky, and unreasonably impatient. Next year, going by what’s maturing in those casks, will be quite special indeed. Connal Mackenzie is excited because, as each day ticks over, another cask inside Glenbeg turns 10 years old. We’re yomping into the sunlit uplands of Ardnamurchan whisky, and we are all able to enjoy the incredible spoils.
Alongside their first ever 10yo single cask, offered up through Adelphi for the Whisky Fringe Festival and winning hearts (and prizes) for its excellent presentation, Ardnamurchan revealed their inaugural Sauternes Cask Release. I sat with Connal on the jetty at Glenbeg and we opened a bottle together. It was immediately clear that it was special. This is bottle number two today.
Tyndrum Whisky Shop was next to release a single cask that, to my knowledge, is the darkest Ardnamurchan whisky so far - colour isn’t an indication of anything, other than perhaps the cask influencing the whisky too far, especially in the case of young whisky. This 6yo Oloroso cask looked like it was dead set on sherry wipeout, but instead was a big red sweety with the resilient Ardnamurchan spirit retaining a delicate balance that kept it singing when others drowned.
November and the 2024 ArdnAmerica Tour Bottling was launched alongside Carl Crafts wandering buoyantly around the United States, particularly the West Coast where oor pal Gregor snaffled me a bottle and brought it all the way from Oregon to the Glasgow Whisky Festival. This year’s bottle repeated the spectacular whisky punch of last year’s inaugural American Tour, this time with a bit more grip through the Madeira casks. Loved it, rinsed it. Wish I had more, but gone are the days that I long for previous bottlings - there’s so much new stuff to look forward to.
In November Ardnamurchan launched their milestone bottle - a worldwide release called AD/10. A special edition run of 10yo blended Ardnamurchan stock (like their core range) hit the shelves and I played it cool, waiting for my local shoppe to stock it. Which they did. Support your local, they say. So I did, and it’s the third bottle under review today.
As we approach Christmas I look askance at my opened whisky collection, all in various states of undress stuffed into plastic tubs in the garage, and at the unopened stash in various states of gravitational pull, wondering what I’ll see the big day out with. I’ve been trying to get through all the unopened, but inevitably keep finding more getting added to the tub - funny how that keeps happening.
Glowing supershelves are on the horizon, but not yet.
I calculate, by year end 2024, I’ll have seen off 55 bottles of Ardnamurchan whisky, each one assessed and positioned on my own personal graph of whisky joy. It’s a pretty big pool of whisky, when you think about it. So I’m rounding out a year of exceptional Ardnamurchan whisky with a few things that I haven’t opened or reviewed yet, either because of a spate of bottles all appearing at the same time on the market, or because I didn’t manage to get my hands on it until recently.
All of the tasting notes below assume that the typical Ardnamurchan coastal spirit character is present - salty, rocky, mineralic, sea breeze, earthy salt.
Magic, in other words.
Review 1/3
Ardnamurchan AD/Venturers’s Release 2024 - Sauternes Cask 367 & 369, 55% ABV
£67.95 Sold Out
This bottle was the first Sauternes casked Ardnamurchan to be released, and arrived in a double cask vatting for the AD/Venturer club - a set of 500 odd people who paid £70 to join the official club, gaining access to special bottlings and events. This release of 480 bottles, composed of unpeated Sauternes Barriques 367 and 369 from 2016, is just over 8yo whisky. I like that Ardnamurchan joined two casks so that all the AD/Venturers would be covered for a bottle each (almost). Thoughtful as always by them bods in Glenbeg.
Nose
Wooden toy box. Big cedarwood. Oven chips. Nuclear bunker cafe. Very savoury - salty potato chips. Bit of milk! (fresh). Roasting veg - cauliflower, tomatoes, garam masala, ginger, garlic. New car smell. Natural yoghurt. Perfumed vegs. Lentil soup! Fruit bowl - mango, grapes, berries.
Palate
Milky. Silky. Savoury sweets. Coastal magic. Fresh fruit - green grapes and Granny Smiths. Peppery Cedar. Rich luscious chocolate hobnobs.
The Dregs
A surprising whisky. Not only do I find the classic, powerful Ardnamurchan character here, but it’s laced with loads of new things. The oven chips are good, but it’s the vegetables and milk notes that are throwing me off the tracks, which is fantastic. There’s a curry thread which has me swooning, lentil soup(!) and each sip reveals more new, interesting flavours. It’s a unique tale for Ardnamurchan, something I’ve not yet experienced with their whisky, and I can’t help but love every minute of it.
55% ABV is a great number to be fiddling, and I have, but you know me - full speed is where I find most enjoyment.
Review 2/3
Ardnamurchan Sauternes Cask Release, 50% ABV
£67.95 Sold Out
Launched in the midst of the 10 year celebrations this felt a bit overshadowed, which is a shame because it’s a fantastic whisky and another in the exciter range of “Cask Release” bottlings that, hopefully soon, will see more released under that title. Maybe a Madeira, maybe a Tequila or whatever else Ardnamurchan can throw at their unique spirit. I love the setup that they’ve put in place, with the core range white labels, followed by the brightly colourful labels of the Cask Releases, then the iconic blue bottles of the single casks. It’s simple, effective and bloody gorgeous on the shelf.
This one has a bright mustard yellow label and is sort of an indication of where the needle rests. The whisky is golden yellow, in the same vein as the AD/Venturer’s Adelphi Glen Garioch, that was the colour of the sun. Deep, rich gold and mesmerising to look at.
Nose
Ripping hot metal roof. Petrichor. Spiced cinnamon. Pepper on buttery toast. Orange fondant. Bag of Revels. Biscuits. Coastal etc.
Palate
Rich. Oily. Buttery. Biscuity. Bit of wine gums - yellow ones. Foosty orange. Bit smelly. Oranges - peel, zest, pith, burnt, candied. Cedarwoods. Salty, rocky, coastal, fudgy. Cola cubes.
The Dregs
Deep and rich is what this is in the glass. It has oodles of texture at 50% ABV and sings many orangey songs. It has biscuits, butter, cinnamon, candied citrus and so much else, but interestingly enough none of the milky, roasted veg notes found in the double cask Sauternes. All connotations of orange - zest, pith, skin, candied and fleshy. It’s great whisky for the price, and at 50% has enough head room to fiddle, but obviously I just drink it at bottle strength for full immersive impact. Does this stun at every sip? Not as intense as the company it's keeping today, but in isolation it’s a moreish, engaging and superb example of Ardnamurchan in alternative casks.
Review 3/3
Ardnamurchan AD/10 - Bourbon and Paul Launois Casks from 2014, 50% ABV
£65 available but moving fast.
The big one. The line in the sand. The fulcrum that rests between young distillery and established distillery. Turning 10, as Connal puts it, is like earning your stripes. At 10 a point is reached where cask is maturing whisky gently, and the spirit is morphing from bright, youthful vividness, into more robust, deeper, more luxurious shades. I’m unfathomably fortunate to have tried quite a lot of 10yo casks of all types, and having a relationship such as I do with Ardnamurchan whisky, to see where the myriad casks are taking the spirit is simply monumentally exciting for a fan like me.
Adelphi launched Cask 10, the first ever 10yo single cask and it was a joy to experience. This, however, is a vatting of many Bourbon casks to make up the 16,746 bottle outturn, including the aforementioned Paul Launois casks of which I count 32 American Standard Butt’s worth. It’s a statement of intent that shows that Ardnamurchan are not only generous with their oldest stock (and lacking the understandable reflex to guard it all for maximum return), but are actively putting their finest casks out there for the world to try at a reasonable price - how many of those 2014 Paul Launois could have been deployed for an auction searing 10yo release? Instead they form part of the mix here, of all unpeated spirit, of all 2014 vintage.
The label is oatmeal in colour, a nod to their cardboard outer boxes that the inaugural and many of the 2021 releases arrived in - how far that branding has come. The label has been redesigned to allow more information, as well as make “Ardnamurchan” more prominent at the top, for shelf presence. I could spot an Ardna bottle a mile off, but for those unacquainted with their style, having the distillery displayed loud and proud is an excellent decision.
What else to say, other than this was £65, is offered at 50% ABV and is widely available, even now. Another value for money offering, if the whisky inside lives up to the expectation of what 10 years of maturation does to the Glenbeg spirit.
Nose
Big wave of fresh cedarwood and a bit of redness. Lush! Bit of chips - oven and potato. Petrichor. Bit of plasticine. Hint of mint. Fresh AF. Bit earthy. Dark cherry - Black Forest Gateaux. Peppery sugar - candy floss. Yum! Tropical smorgasbord. Vinyl Records. Chamomile. Yeasty. Bready. Biscuits. Oaty biscuits.
Palate
Chamomile. Yeasty. Reminds me of Geery White Port. Sour spice and salt spray. Chili & cinnamon fading to a bready, yeasty, biscuity note. Natural honey on porridge. Wine quality - astringency. Thick. Chewy. Honeyed cashews. Fabric shop.
The Dregs
The neck pour arrives like a big yeasty, chamomile infused, buttery breaded chocolate dreamboat. It’s peppery, sweet, feels like it has some sort of red berry influence despite the lack of sherry contact, and meanders around sensational flavours like Black Forest Gateaux, zingy sour grapes and oven chips. Its texture is silk. The flavour stage wide and shining - Paul Launois is bringing sparkle with the yeast, but the razor edge of zing to balance the sweetness of the bourbs, the oaky cedar imprint of casks, the coastal joy of Ardnamurchan’s underlying spirit and maturation location and, for the first time, reveals a new color of whisky to my frontal cortex: purple.
This is a purple Ardnamurchan. I have been blown away by this from the get go. It’s stunning already three pours in, and according to those making quick work of their bottles, gets better as the bottle level drops. As an Ardnamurchan fanboi, I’m in cloud cuckoo land. I do not usually gravitate to the unpeated bourbon, “naked” presentation of anything - those vanilla custard creams that meld into one get samey after a while. I prefer a sherry daliance or a niche cask exploration, or a fiddling of peated/unpeated like the core range. But this AD/10? It’s on a different plane altogether.
What a time to be engaged in whisky enough to be witnessing Ardnamurchan’s ascent into the book of legend. 15 years from now, when Ardnamurchan have 10yo whisky as their core range and they’re releasing 25yo whisky, I’ll think back to 2024, when this arrived on the shelves and my eyes fell out their sockets, I wonder how I’ll feel about it all. Will I still love it then? Will Ardnamurchan continue to deliver unbelievable quality whisky for reasonable prices?
Failing a worldwide disaster, the distillery burning down or Ardnamurchan disappearing into the realms of ultra-collector pricing, there’s surely only one way that Ardnamurchan and their whisky can go, and I will try to be there every step of the way, to continue to pay homage to a place making whisky that makes life better.
2025 will see more 10 year old whisky being released by Ardnamurchan, in single casks, cask blends and unique bottlings, no doubt. It’ll soon become commonplace to have 10yo Ardnamurchan on shelves, when up until this point we were all watching and wondering what it would taste like at 10. To postulate how the casks would be working their woody ways and waiting, patiently, for the time to come when we could experience it all for ourselves. Well, now we know.
Now we know.
Score: 8/10
*All my scores are following the DCNSA - scoring that has been adjusted to allow more room for future Ardnamurchan releases.
Review 4/3 - Bonus Ainsley Review
Ardnamurchan AD/10 - Bourbon and Paul Launois Casks from 2014, 50% ABV
£65 available but moving fast.
Back to Glasgow for a wee minute if you indulge me.
I tried this whisky at the Pot Still with my pal Pedro during my first night in town last November. Trying a whisky in a pub is a good way to roughly judge the quality of it, but similar to trying it at a whisky festival, it’s usually not the best setting to truly dissect it and have a definitive opinion on it. Still, I remember being quite impressed by what I had in the glass. So much in fact, that two days after that, when I entered Hampden park for GWF, I rushed straight to the shop to grab myself a bottle.
Ardnamurchan’s French importer, Dugas, really have no clue how good it is and how well it could do in my market, so they likely won’t import it. They don’t even want the sherry cask and Maclean’s nose. I’m not kidding.
Anyway, that was another reason to get myself some bottles from Glenbeg during my stay in Glasgow. When I came back, broke, covid-ridden but happy, I was surprised to notice that our Dougie hadn’t reviewed it already, even though it was only out for about a week and a half at the time. But Doog being Doog, could not resist the call of the west - south for him - for long, and when I saw he was about to review it, I offered to add my tasting notes, which should theoretically appease those rare readers among you who think the man scores Ardnamurchan too high.
Let’s see how it goes.
Nose
Immediately fruity. Ripe, winey fruits. Peach syrup and milky caramel with a hint of a coastal lick. Maybe a whiff of fresh sea air, or wet concrete. But the fruits are front and center. Off-dry Alsatian pinot gris (try it with foie gras or cheese this holiday season) and green malt at the core. Confectionery banana, sweet wax. Flower honey. Quite a lot of white chocolate.
With water : Even fruitier, white melon, white peaches and pineapple cubes. The banana becomes fresh rather than confectionery. Lemon zest with the pith.
Palate
Oily white wine, maybe like Saint Péray (Roussanne + Marsanne). Pears in syrup, light wood spice - French oak from the barriques ? Very Moreish. Melon ice cream. Great mouthfeel, almost oily ! White chocolate abounds as well on the palate.
With water : More mineral and less creamy.
The Dregs
Well, this is excellent whisky. In fact, it’s even better than I remember, and while I haven’t tried dozens of Ardnas, it is firmly in my top 3, along with cask 1060 for Good Spirits, and this year’s Paul Launois release. I honestly believe that there are not a lot of 10 year old malts on the market right now that exhibit this level of maturity and complexity.
The only thing against it is that I may have added too much water, and it doesn’t swim too well on the palate. Don’t go further than a couple of drops. Regardless, I’m very happy with my purchase.
Sorry to add to the FOMO if this isn’t available in your part of the world, but this is excellent whisky, and as long as the folk at Ardnamurchan make excellent whisky, they’ll keep getting excellent scores.
Score: 8/10 AF
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. DC
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