Clydebuilt Sailmaker is the third bottling in Ardgowan distillery’s Clydebuilt Collection of blended malts celebrating the famous shipyards which once populated the banks of the River Clyde. Originally released in 2022, Clydebuilt Sailmaker is a blend of six malt whiskies from Highland, Lowland, and Speyside distilleries matured in first-fill Oloroso sherry casks, and bottled at 48% ABV.
An award-winning bottling. Clydebuilt Sailmaker received a master medal at the Scotch Whisky Masters 2023, a gold medals from the Scottish Whisky Awards 2022 and World Whisky Awards 2022, and a silver medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition 2023.
Opens with rich oloroso sherry notes, leading into dried and stone fruits including raisins, currants, and nectarines. Orange peel citrus and tangy marmalade follow, accompanied by dark chocolate, before notes of walnut, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In the background, hints of tobacco, leather, polished oak furniture, and malty notes.
The palate opens with oaky tannins, with a mildly oily mouthfeel. Dried fruits, including raisins, currants, and sultanas return leading into chocolate and orange oil. There are sweet notes of vanilla and honey, before walnuts and spicy flavours of cinnamon, all spice, and ginger.
Medium-long, oloroso sherry and oak linger as dried fruits and spice fade in and out. An oily note returns at the close.
In July 2025, the Whiskey Wash reported the expansion of Ardgowan distillery’s Clydebuilt brand with the launch of six new small batch single malts – hopefully we’ll get a chance to sample these in the near future. I think it’s also a good time to revisit the existing Clydebuilt Collection, with names inspired by the River Clyde’s shipbuilding heritage, of award-winning blended malts (Sailmaker, Shipwright, Coppersmith) and single grain (Riveter). Since the launch of the new Clydebuilt releases, the existing collection bottlings have been enjoying price reductions across a number of retailers, so this may be the chance to explore the range.
Clydebuilt Sailmaker is a bold sherry-influenced blended malt, with lots of dried fruit and chocolate influence. I enjoyed the spicy notes of ginger, cinnamon, and festive spices; these seem balanced for flavour rather than warming heat or a drying feel, resulting in a blend that’s easy drinking and accessible for the majority of whisky drinkers.
The six malts which combine to make Sailmaker are unknown, although it is the sherry cask maturation which dominates the stage rather than a discernible malt or style. This isn’t an issue; Sailmaker feels like a premium blended malt which just happens to be sherry maturation-focused. If you like a whisky with lots of sherry influence, then Sailmaker (and I suspect most of the Clydebuilt range) is definitely for you.
