Ardnamurchan AD/10 & AD/Peated Sauternes Cask Release Scotch Whisky Reviews

 

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.), founded Adelphi Distillery, Ltd. as an independent bottling operation, and, in 2004, he sold Adelphi to Keith Falconer and David Houston. 

 

Keith and David began planning a distillery, and in 2013, they started 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 sold quickly again. Since then, larger casks were secured, offering more whisky.

 

Today, we'll explore two single malt expressions from this distillery: Ardnamurchan AD/10 and Ardnamurchan AD/Peated Sauternes Cask Release.

 

Ardnamurchan's exclusive US distributor is ImpEx Beverage, which was kind enough to provide me with a sample of each whisky in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let's #DrinkCurious and fully explore these Scotch whiskies.

 

Oh, for the record, I used a fresh Glencairn glass for each and drank both neat. I also let them rest for about 15 minutes before starting these journeys.

 

AD/10-Years-Old

 

• Whiskey Type: Single Malt Scotch
• Region: Highland
• Distiller: Ardnamurchan Distillery
• Age: 10 Years
• Mashbill: 100% malted barley (52% peated, 48% unpeated)
• Cooperage: 54 ex-Bourbon barrels (95%), 2 ex-Sherry hogsheads (5%)
• Alcohol Content: 46.8% ABV (93.6°)
• Price per 700mL: $90.00
• Non-Chill Filtered, Naturally Colored
• 16,380 bottle yield

 

In 2024, Ardnamurchan celebrated its tenth anniversary and launched a special, one-off release. The reception was so positive that the distillery has added it to its core range. This particular expression is the first of that regular offering.  

 

Appearance: This whisky was the color of dry straw. A thin rim generated tightly packed, medium, slower tears.

 

Nose: As I brought the glass beneath my nostrils and inhaled, I got a good whiff of toasted coconut, orange rind, cooked oats, smoky peat, and salted caramel. Drawing the air into my mouth brought more salted caramel.  

 

Palate: My first sip revealed a soft, creamy texture with plenty of peat on the palate shock. The second offered notes of vanilla, oatmeal, and sugar cookies on the front, while the mid-palate encountered salted caramel and lemon zest. Earthy peat was married with oak and a cranberry kiss on the back of my palate.   

 

Finish: Dense sugar cookies, oatmeal, brine, earthy peat, and white pepper made for a level, everlasting finish. The duration ran a full 2:08.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: There is a lot to love about AD/10, and it's a good thing they've made this part of their core lineup, because I foresee it spending little time on store shelves. Yes, there's peat, yet it isn't dominating (short of the palate shock), and moves from smoky to earthy by the time everything is said and done.

 

Would I give AD/10 to someone who isn't a peat-lover? I'm on the fence. While it is far from a significantly peated pour, it is probably on the edge of what the uninitiated would accept.

 

For the more experienced Highland Scotch drinker, AD/10 is impressive, full of flavor, and fascinating. It deserves every bit of my Bottle rating.

 

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AD/Peated Sauternes Cask Release

 

• Whiskey Type: Single Malt Scotch
• Region: Highland
• Distiller: Ardnamurchan Distillery
• Age: 3 years, plus a 3.5-year finishing cycle
• Mashbill: 100% peated malted barley
• Cooperage: Matured in 29 ex-Bourbon casks then re-racked in Sauternes barriques
• Alcohol Content: 50% ABV (100°)
• Price per 700mL: $85.00
• Non-Chill Filtered, Naturally Colored
• 8,460 bottle yield

 

Appearance: The whisky had a topaz appearance, while creating a thick rim with even thicker, crazed, slow tears.

 

Nose: When I first poured this Scotch, I thought I might have the unpeated version instead of the one on the label, shrugged, and told myself to prepare to review something different. Yet, when I was ready to approach it, the peat was there. It was a mix of ash and earth. I also smelled candied pineapples, vanilla, maraschino cherries, ginger, balsam wood, and lime zest. As I brought the aroma through my lips, the air tasted of fresh coconut.   

 

Palate: The mouthfeel was soft and silky, offering no palate shock. I quickly identified notes of ginger spice, oak, and honey on the front. Vanilla cream, lemon curd, and nutmeg came next. The back consisted of orange zest, smoked hickory, and an earthy quality.

 

Finish: Initially mild, flavors ramped up amped up quickly on my tongue and the inside of my cheeks. Earthy peat, oak, zests of orange and lemon, and vanilla cream help tame the bolder ginger spice. Earth was the last one on stage. After 1:41, everything finally faded, and then smoke introduced itself, sticking around until 2:49, making the entire duration extremely long.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: AD/Peated Sauternes Cask Release isn't your run-of-the-mill Highland Single Malt Scotch. It goes from spicy to sweet, then sweet to tart, tart to savory, and savory to earthy. Basically, it is a tour across the entire spectrum of Scotch whisky. I loved it, and it deserves your attention. A Bottle rating for sure!

 

Final Thoughts: AD/Peated Sauternes Cask Release and AD/10 are both impressive pours. One is a limited edition, the other a core expression. I always gravitate to the unusual, and the Sauternes certainly fits that bill. It would be my first choice, but you can't go wrong with either. 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.