Review #327 - Ardnamurchan Cask Strength AD/05.23
A 2023 edition of Ardnamurchan's Cask Strength - with follows on the success and plaudits of the 2022 batches, which garnered great reviews. The distillery's usual strength of 46.8% ABV has been bumped up to 58.3% ABV for this release; there's no age statement on the bottle, though.
As usual, Ardnamurchan gives us a QR code on the back label which reveals a huge amount of information about the batch. Comprised of 24 casks, this is mostly peated spirit (19/24), though there are 5 casks in the mix that held unpeated spirit. Almost all of the casks carry a 2016 vintage, putting them at 6 to 7 years old at the time of bottling, though there is one 2015 cask involved.
Most of the casks involved were ex-bourbon barrels - 21 of 24, in fact. This batch also included the contents of one American oak ex-PX sherry hogshead, though, as well as two Spanish Oak ex-Oloroso hogsheads.
Ardnamurchan Cask Strength AD/05.23
Scotland/Highland - Single Malt
Price Paid: USD 108 (2023)
Current Locally Available Price: USD 100 (2024)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 58.3% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon barrels, American oak PX hogshead, and Spanish oak Oloroso hogsheads
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; bottled 2023; 2,600 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 4 times over 6 months; bottles at 90%, 80%, 70%, and 60% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Salty and lots of minerals up front - slate, especially. There are light fruits of golden pear, limes, and moldy lemons, and we get plenty of peppery notes, both black and white. A nice weight even in the nose, and some stronger woody peat; there are occasional hints of wildflower honey and vanilla. With more time, malty notes get stronger.
Palate: A medium-thick mouthfeel, and the peat is strong now - sharp, briny, and quite peppery. Soft oily texture and plenty of spirity warmth coat the cheeks, and the slate note returns from the nose, along with chalk. Fruits of lime, sour nectarine, and sweet lemon candy are found at times, and one-off notes included balsamic glaze, butterscotch, and honey.
Finish: Medium-long; plenty of peat, and more citrus notes in the finish: lemon preserve and lemon curd, and then a bit of mango and banana to round out the fruit profile. White pepper and oak add drying components to the complexion, and we get soft bread and malt flavors, too. In the aftertaste, tinned pear and coastal salt linger.
Final Note: This is a very solid Ardnamurchan - slightly simple, but plenty of punchy flavors. It's dripping with that mineral, coastal character that the distillery is known for, and it's definitely leaning towards the 'heavily peated' category.
It is also a bit of an expensive bottle, at least here in the US; because of the good flavors, its value rating is fine, but not exceptional.
Our Average Rating: 7.4 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.31
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Ardnamurchan reviews:
Review #188 - Ardnamurchan AD/09:15 CK.578 Single Cask
