Review by: Maltenberg

Ardnamurchan CS AD/ 02:22

This is a sample from a friend locally.  I have heard they used a higher proportion of peat in this cask strength batch than the normal core release and I think a bit less sherry cask.  And indeed on getting the QR Code I was able to check the details and find that to be true. All the casks were filled in 2014 and 2015 and probably 80% of the casks were peated bourbon. However the unpeated component leveraged larger sherry casks.

https://ardnamurchan-distillery.co.uk/newBottles-detail/131023

Again Lewis Hamilton was at the bottling hall feeling like Michael Bolton from Office Space.

Country/Region: Scotland/Highlands    

Color:  0.4 jonquil (NCA) 

ABV: 58.7% (NCF)  

Nose: A bit smokier on the nose than the core AD/ with more intensity, vanilla, roasted tree nuts, apple orchard flowers, driftwood smoke, apple, potting soil, pear, black pepper and a bit more ethanol.      

Palate: Good weight on the palate, with earthy highland peat smoke, cereal, dried fig, smoldering twigs, vanilla creme, hazelnut, developing with scorched caramel, black pepper, pear, dried pineapple, milk chocolate, limestone and a bit of clay, loam, lemon zest, grapefruit zest and spicy ginger  With water to 46% the palate smooths considerably.  Overall the same flavors, but the development doesn’t go as heated.    

Finish: Long.  Spiky initially on black pepper, burnt sugar, ginger, hazelnut, dark chocolate, apple, cherry pits, limestone holding for a long time on burning twigs, potting soil, dark chocolate, vanilla creme, apple sauce

Rating: 86   

Summary: This release is considerably more intense than the regular AD/ and there does seem to be a higher proportion of peated casks going into this.  Alot of darker notes too.  This whisky has a mood.  It’s not as soft and rounded as the standard release and I find bringing it down a bit does make a better experience for me. Next I’ll move onto some single casks where I think things get even more exciting with this distillery.