Ardnamurchan ArdnAmerica Tour 2024 Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review

 

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.

 

“The Ardnamurchan peninsula is famous for its outstanding and untouched beauty and abundance of natural resources. Our Distillery is situated half way along the peninsula in the small village of Glenbeg. It was designed to both look like a distillery and to fit in with the surrounding buildings.

At Ardnamurchan Distillery we follow what we believe is the lightest-touch approach to distilling in our remote location, including adding value to co-products and empowering a realistic and tangible circular economy.” – Ardnamurchan Distillery

 

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.

 

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.

 

The 2024 ArdnAmerica Tour bottling is the subject of today’s review. This whisky is a mingling of two peated Madeira finish barriques and one unpeated Spanish Oloroso Sherry Butt finish. It is made from 100% malted barley and carries no age statement. Everything Ardnamurchan produces is non-chill filtered and naturally colored. This whisky is packaged only for the American market at 57.3% ABV (114.6°); it has a suggested price of $88.00. Only 900 bottles were produced.

 

Before I do the #DrinkCurious thing, I am grateful to ImpEx Beverage, the exclusive US distributor for Ardnamurchan, who was kind enough to provide me with a sample of this whisky in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Appearance: I poured this whisky into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. It had a deep amber color. The liquid formed a massive rim that released medium-spaced, thick tears while retaining gluey droplets.

 

Nose: The aroma included brine, ginger, honey-roasted nuts, sugarplums, orange rind, and butterscotch. It was unusual, yet meshed well. When I drew the air into my mouth, I came across candied ginger and salt.

 

Palate: ArdnAmerica took on an oily, medium-weighted mouthfeel. There were blueberries, lemons, and orange zest on the front. My mid-palate encountered saltwater taffy and apples. The back tasted of smoky oak, lemongrass, and black pepper.

 

Finish: I timed the duration at 2:46, which is considered very long. It featured black pepper, mild, smoky peat, oak, blueberries, and honey.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The mix of sweet, smoky, and spicy notes was enchanting. ArdnAmerica is properly proofed; there is enough flavor without the warmth becoming distracting. The nose captivated me because it was unlike anything else I’d experienced. $88.00 for good Scotch can be a bargain, and I believe this incarnation of ArdnAmerica Tour fits that description. As such, it earns 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.