Ardnamurchan AD/10

Ardnamurchan AD/10

Region: Highlands

ABV: 50.0%

Price: £65.00

Ardnamurchan AD/10 is the distillery’s first 10-year-old whisky, celebrating its first decade of production. Distilled in 2014, the whisky was primarily matured in first-fill bourbon casks, with about half of the batch receiving an additional year of maturation in Champagne Paul Launois barriques. This unpeated expression was released in a limited edition of 15,000 bottles.

Nose

On the nose, there are notes of cucumber, lime, and orange juice, with a hint of dry earth. Chocolate, a touch of Sprite, custard cream biscuits, and yeast also make an appearance. There’s an almost fizzy sensation, reminiscent of champagne, likely coming from the pepper spice of the alcohol.. Returning to it, additional fruity notes come through, such as grapefruit, pineapple, and a hint of caramel. It’s easy to nose, with some pleasant notes.

Palate

On the palate, lime takes the lead, followed by musty warehouse funk, tangerine, and pineapple, and golden syrup that transitions into a warming pepper spice on the medium-length finish. The sweetness lingers just slightly longer than that spice. The mouthfeel is good, and we’re happy to see the slight reduction hasn’t hurt it. Returning to it, notes of cumin and ginger also emerge.

Nose (with water)

With water, the nose reveals more fruity notes, with plenty of pineapple, mango, and passion fruit. That subtle fizz remains. With patience, additional aromas of freshly kneaded dough, milk chocolate, green apples, fudge, and orange peel come through.

Palate (with water)

With water, the palate brings out more warehouse funk, along with notes of cashew nuts, yeast, and vanilla essence. There’s a touch more spice, but the mouthfeel and finish remain solid. The addition of water also enhances the citrus notes we typically associate with Ardnamurchan.

Conclusion

the choice to use Paul Launois barriques in this release is an interesting one, but it’s paid off. There are some intriguing notes on both the nose and palate. Personally, we prefer the single cask 10-year-old that Adelphi released recently, but there’s still plenty to enjoy here.

Score: 7.5/10

Value

We’re pleased that the distillery chose not to price-gouge for their first 10-year-old release.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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