Ardnamurchan AD/03.21:02 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review & Tasting Notes

The Ardnamurchan Distillery is a newcomer to distilling. The mainland’s westernmost distillery was founded in 2014 by the independent bottler Adelphi. However, its story is far older.

 

Founded as the Adelphi Distillery in Glasgow and renamed Loch Katrine Adelphi Distillery, Charles and David Gray began construction in 1825, and distilling commenced a year later. The name change occurred because a massive pipeline was built from Loch Katrine to Glasgow, and the Grays sourced water from this pipeline in the 1860s.

 

In 1880, the distillery was sold to A. Walker & Co., which owned distilleries in Liverpool and Limerick, Ireland. The distillery was expanded, and by 1886, Loch Katrine Adelphi was one of the largest in Scotland.

 

The distillery was sold again in 1903 to Distillers Company, Ltd. Three years later, one of its washbacks collapsed, flooding the neighborhood with alcohol, which, unfortunately, resulted in the loss of lives. The distillery shut down its malt whisky production but continued with grain whiskies until 1932. In 1968, the last of the barrels left the warehouses, and the entire operation was mothballed. The distillery was leveled in 1971, and the Glasgow Central Mosque was erected in its place.

 

Then, in 1993, Jamie Walker, the great-grandson of Archibald Walker (of A. Walker & Co.), started Adelphi Distillery, Ltd. as an independent bottling operation, and, in 2004, he sold Adelphi to Keith Falconer and David Houston.  

 

Keith and David started planning a distillery, and in 2013, they began construction in Glenbeg, Argyll. Its first distillate was ready in 2016, and in a few short hours, all 2500 bottles were sold. Another round of 2500 bottles was made available in 2017, which again sold quickly. Since then, larger casks were secured, offering more whisky.

 

Today I’m drinking Ardnamurchan AD/03.21:02. It is a single malt whisky made from distillate aged in 65% former Bourbon casks and 35% Oloroso and PX Sherry butts. Ardnamurchan blends peated and unpeated malts, resulting in 10-12 ppm, keeping the peat level mild. It carries no age statement and is packaged at 46.8% ABV (93.6°). A 700ml bottle is priced at about $65.00.

 

Ardnamurchan’s exclusive US distributor is ImpEx Beverage, who was kind enough to provide me with a sample of AD/03.21:02 in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and fully explore this Scotch.

 

Appearance: I sipped this whisky neat from my Glencairn glass. Inside, the liquid was the color of golden straw. It formed a thicker rim while releasing long, wide tears.

 

Nose: The peat was less smoky and more like ocean air. I found apples, pears, malt, leather, and seaweed. Inhaling through my lips revealed ocean air and seaweed.

 

Palate: The mouthfeel was medium-bodied. Apples, pears, saline, and light smoke were on the front of my palate. Midway through, I encountered strawberries, raisins, marshmallows, and almonds. The back consisted of seaweed, oak, and black pepper.

 

Finish: Medium to medium-long in duration; the finish consisted of light smoke, ocean air, honey, raisin, and strawberries. When those fell off, I was left with oak tannins.  

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: AD/03.21:02 is a fantastic example of West Coast Scotch whiskies. The classic maritime air and flavors were easy to pick out; everything was well-balanced, and the peat was a nice accompaniment. For the money, it is almost a steal. There’s nothing not to like about AD/03.21:02, and I’m happy to give it my Bottle rating. Cheers!  

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.