Ardnamurchan has been putting out some interesting whisky over the past few years, but I’ll be honest: nothing from them has truly grabbed me until now. The Ardnamurchan Madeira Cask release changed that in a single pour, and I think it deserves some attention from anyone who appreciates a well-crafted young Scotch that punches well above its age.
Let me break down what we’re working with. This is a vatting of multiple casks distilled in 2018 and bottled in 2025, putting it at roughly seven years old. Just over half the casks held unpeated spirit while the rest were peated, and all of them were matured in Madeira wine casks.
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True to Ardnamurchan’s commitment to quality, it’s non-chill filtered and natural colour, bottled at a robust 52% ABV. On paper, you might expect the peat component to muscle its way to the front. In practice, something far more interesting happens.
On the nose, the Madeira influence takes centre stage in a way I genuinely did not expect. The sweetness dominates, pushing the smoke almost entirely to the sidelines. What comes through is a gorgeous wave of apple sweetness and syrupy fruit, like biting into something ripe and caramelized. For maybe the first time in my experience, the unpeated casks completely outshine the peated ones on the nose. It’s a pleasant surprise and a testament to the power of those Madeira barrels.
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The palate follows that same sweet, fruity trajectory. Think apple sauce and apple syrup up front, joined by peaches and this wonderful tropical quality that reminds me of the juice from canned mangoes or canned lychees. It’s lush and inviting. The peat only reveals itself on the finish, where it arrives as a subtle coffee smokiness that adds depth without overwhelming a single note that came before it. That coffee element at the back end is genuinely lovely and gives the whisky a satisfying complexity. At 52%, it does not drink hot at all, which is remarkable for a whisky that’s only around seven years old.
I’m giving this one an 88, making it my favourite Ardnamurchan release to date. At right around the hundred-dollar mark, I think it represents excellent value and is absolutely a bottle I would buy again. If you’re curious about what Ardnamurchan is capable of when the cask selection really sings, this Madeira release is the one to seek out. Have you tried any Ardnamurchan bottlings that surprised you? I’d love to hear which ones stood out.
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READ THE STORYTo see my full tasting, check out my YouTube video.
