Islay’s Ardnahoe Distillery has launched the third expression in its core range, a Cask Strength Edition. The five-year-old Islay single malt Scotch whisky was matured exclusively in first-fill bourbon barrels and will go on sale on October 30.
Bottled at 60.9% ABV, the new limited release will have a recommended retail price of £65. It will be available via the Ardnahoe website, the distillery shop, and selected retailers worldwide.
This release is the first batch in what is planned to be a continuous series for the distillery.
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READ THE STORYOfficial notes from the brand describe the whisky’s nose as having “coastal brine, earthy peat and rich cocoa.” The palate is said to have notes of “orchard fruits, herbal tea and salted caramel,” leading into a “smoky finish with citrus undertones.”
David Livingstone, distillery manager, said: “The third bottling in our core range is a very special one and a significant moment for the distillery. Cask strength whisky is undiluted – bottled straight from the cask, allowing for a more intense flavour profile and more control for the drinker to dilute as they please.”
The Cask Strength Edition joins Ardnahoe’s two previous core range bottlings: the Oloroso sherry cask-matured Bholsa and the Infinite Loch, which was matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso sherry casks.
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Owned by Glasgow-based independent bottler Hunter Laing, a company with a long history in the Scotch whisky industry, Ardnahoe Distillery began production in 2018.
It became the ninth working distillery on the island of Islay, a region renowned for its heavily peated single malts.
The distillery officially opened to the public in 2019. The release of a core range, including this cask strength expression, marks a key milestone for the young producer, which released its first-ever whisky, the Inaugural Release, in May 2024.
A launch event will be held at the Ardnahoe Distillery on October 30, featuring a tasting and bottle signing with Livingstone.
