Ardnamurchan - AD/2022 - Bourbon & Sherry Cask - 46.8%
The Ardnamurchan Distillery is ideally located in Argyll, at the westernmost tip of the British mainland, in the heart of the majestic Scottish Highlands. This unique distillery brought legal distillation to the isolated Ardnamurchan peninsula thanks to the innovative initiative of the independent bottler Adelphi, which founded it in 2014. Although recent, this initiative echoes a rich history since the first distillery bearing the Adelphi name was founded in 1826 in Gorbals, Glasgow. This distillery, led from 1880 by Archibald Walker, was recognized as the only whisky producer operating simultaneously in Scotland, Ireland, and England. Producing over 500,000 gallons of malt and grain whisky annually in 1887, it was acquired by DCL (Distillers Company Limited) in 1903. Four years later, the distillery closed following the historical tragedy known as the "Great Gorbals Disaster," when a fermentation vat collapsed, flooding the nearby street with hot alcohol, causing the drowning of a man and forcing the evacuation of many residents. Today, this site houses Glasgow's central mosque. In 1993, Jamie Walker, Archibald's great-grandson, revived the Adelphi brand as an independent bottler, taken over by its current owners in 2004.
The Ardnamurchan Distillery fully embodies values of sustainability and environmental respect by relying on local renewable energies. All electricity and heat needed for production come from ecological energies, notably through the use of a hydroelectric generator installed on the river used for cooling. Additionally, a biomass boiler operates with wood from local forestry, thus reducing the distillery's overall carbon footprint to an exceptionally low level. Ardnamurchan also practices responsible recycling of production by-products: the draff, rich in energy, is mixed with "pot ale" to create natural feed for animals on the peninsula, a remarkable example of circular economy and respect for the terroir. Success was immediate: the very first bottling released in 2016, limited to 2,500 bottles worldwide, sold out in a single night, demonstrating strong international demand for this exceptional whisky.
Since 2022, new Ardnamurchan bottles no longer mention the exact month and year of bottling, and distinctions between batches remain subtle to ensure continuity of quality and character. The reference AD/2022 offers a balanced composition including 50% peated malt and 50% unpeated malt, aged in ex-Bourbon (65%) and ex-Sherry (35%) casks, thus providing an intense and harmonious aromatic profile.
Slightly Peated
