Review: Ardnahoe Inaugural Release 5 Years Old
Review: Ardnahoe Inaugural Release 5 Years Old
Ardnahoe Distillery was established in 2016 on a rugged hillside near Port Askaig in the comparatively remote and impossibly beautiful northeast corner of Islay. Until Port Ellen revived distilling operations this summer, it was the youngest distillery on the island. Seemingly from its inception, it was a buzzy operation due in no small part to the fact that Hunter Laing, the owner and family-run independent bottler, managed to entice famed Master Distiller Jim McEwan out of retirement to help get operations up and running.
The first single malt came off Ardnahoe’s lantern-shaped stills in 2018, and while they could have technically bottled an inaugural release four years ago, the company chose to wait until this summer. I was actually at the distillery a few days before the official release, and while I tried my best to get a sneak peak, it took until now to source our sample.
The company describes their house style as a classically peated one, traditional to the island. They age their stocks in a typical mix of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, and like most distilleries on the island, only a portion of their whiskey is fully matured in Islay’s unique, coastal climate. They are, however, the only distillery on the island (and one of only a few in all of Scotland) to use traditional worm tub condensers. Let’s see how their inaugural effort fares.
Ardnahoe Inaugural Release 5 Years Old Review
The aroma is big and well-rounded for a younger single malt, delivering top notes of salty sea air, toasted sesame, and a bit of mesquite wood smoke. Undertones of lemon curd, underripe melon, and vanilla buttercream add some brightness and a restrained sweetness. As it opens, the peat smoke builds modestly with campfire ash and barbecue notes.
The palate is exceptionally rich, again defying the age statement, with an unctuous body that coats the tongue in notes of vanilla custard and heather honey. Baking spice and dark berry jam arrive on the midpalate alongside a bit of tarry chimney soot and coal ash. The finish is generous and energetic with lemon oil, cocoa powder, and a lingering sweet peat. An impressive debut that sets the bar high for what’s to come from this new-ish Islay outpost.
100 proof.
A- / $90
Ardnahoe Inaugural Release 5 Years Old
USD90
