Tastes

(The GlenAllachie Virgin Oak Series Virtual Tasting with Billy Walker, 12th November 2020). French oak from France. Most of its life the spirit was in American bourbon barrels, with an 18month finishing period in the virgin French oak cask. Casks were air dried for 15 months before use. Nose: Honey, orange Palate: Heather honey, coffee, damp basement / earthy Finish: Coffee, slightly bitter grapefruit. A long numbing finish. As with the rest of the virgin oak range, you can pick out the distillery signature note of honey and a little spice. A good, well made dram.

(The GlenAllachie Virgin Oak Series Virtual Tasting with Billy Walker, 12th November 2020). Spanish oak from North West Spain. Most of its life the spirit was in American bourbon barrels, with an 18month finishing period in the virgin Spanish oak cask (medium toast, medium char). Nose: Honey, coconut, orange, spice Palate: Treacle, heather honey, orange, cocoa, spice (cinnamon, allspice). Slightly 'hot'. Finish: Citrus/orange, cinnamon vanilla, oak char, ginger. Overall, this is a very warming dram. As with the rest of the virgin oak range, you can pick out the distillery signature note of honey and a little spice. A good, well made dram.

Nose: Not much on the nose. A little whisp of smoke, some summer fruit and berries Palate: Summer fruit, vanilla, slightly floral. Light, sweet peat smoke. A little sickly. Germolene. Finish: Short. A little smoke, citrus & apple. There’s not much to this whisky. It’s very sweet, and has a little highland peat smoke. Instantly forgotten.

Nose: Frazzles crisps, charcoal, BBQ Palate: Smoke, peat and seaweed. Quite sweet. Finish: Medium long finish. Peppery, sweet and a little musty. Like many of the undisclosed Islay, this was distilled at the Caol Ila distillery. You can tell immediately that this is a well made whisky, but it doesn’t have much character to it. It’s a decent dram, but there are better Islay’s at this price point and lower.

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Ardnamurchan Virtual Whisky Tasting, 05 November 2020). Nose: Sweet, fruit, smoke, burnt pastry, cut grass Palate: Sweet peat, floral, seaweed, gristy, coastal, meaty/BBQ Finish: Long finish, smoke, smooth subdued peat. Citrus/lemon at the very end. A very clean finish. Came joint fourth out of the six whiskies, with 2% of the final vote for favourite of the night. (73% of those present said they enjoyed the whisky).

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Ardnamurchan Virtual Whisky Tasting, 05 November 2020). This was originally advertised as 67.4% ABV, however this was a typo and it should have been 61.4% - I'm sure that will make all the difference!!! Nose: Burnt caramel/maple syrup, medicinal (children't medicine), black tea. A tiny hint of banana. Palate: Syrup, liquorice, dark fruit, leather, yeast extract, 'Fisherman's Friend'! Finish: Smoky, leather, liquorice, spicy, cocoa, woody/charred. A long finish. This is a dark, warming and 'funky' dram. It is a little special. It has a really nostalgic feel to it and it reminded me of Chelsea Whopper sweets when I was a little boy! It also reminded me a little of Talisker Distiller's Edition (especially the 2002) which is an absolute favourite of mine. Lovely, although it's only available via a ballot, so it's unlikely it's one I'll be trying again any time soon. Came runaway first out of the six whiskies, with 66% of the final vote for favourite of the night. (93% of those present said they enjoyed the whisky).

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Ardnamurchan Virtual Whisky Tasting, 05 November 2020). Two sherry butts, 332 which is a peated butt and 333 which is an unpeated butt. Both were filled on the same day as 'sister casks'. Nose: Sherry bomb! Sugar, liquorice, sweet, alcohol hit, allspice Palate: Dark fruit, chocolate, cocoa, allspice/cinnamon. Finish: Dry fruit, earthy, pepper, Frazzles crisps. A little burn on the very end. Not 'hot' despite the young age - lovely mouthfeel that really coats the mouth. Came second out of the six whiskies, with 17% of the final vote for favourite of the night. (85% of those present said they enjoyed the whisky).

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Ardnamurchan Virtual Whisky Tasting, 05 November 2020). 18ppm by the time it is bottled. Old Forrester bourbon cask, Bottled in Fife. Nose: Sweet, peat, citrus. A little herbal and mineral. Palate: Smooth, honey/spice. Apple, brown sugar, pears (very heavily), vanilla. Finish: Sweet peat 'funk', ash, caramelised brown sugar. Still some mineral/herbal (tarragon). Not likely to be a retail release. This was drawn straight from the cask for the tasting, but is available at the distillery. There is a really nice 'chewy' mouthfeel. Exceptionally well integrated for such a young whisky. Came third out of the six whiskies, with 12% of the final vote for favourite of the night. (83% of those present said they enjoyed the whisky).

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Ardnamurchan Virtual Whisky Tasting, 05 November 2020). Nose: Orange peel, sherry, fruit forward, a little brine. Palate: Christmas fruits and spices, barley sugar, pepper. You can really get the PX flavours - cherries, chocolate, cocoa. Finish: Funky dark peat, light smoke, salt & iodine. A nice little zingy/zest at the end. Blend of a single cask from each of Kilchoman and Ardnamurchan distilleries. Kilchoman's cask was a bourbon cask / Ardnamurchan's cask was a peated Pedro Ximénez sherry cask (Concerto barley). 1 of 686 bottles KilchArd - Pronounced Kill Hard. The bottle has loads of Die Hard references, including the names of both owners being 'Bruce' and 'Wills'. Came joint fourth out of the six whiskies, with 2% of the final vote for favourite of the night. (71% of those present said they enjoyed the whisky).

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Ardnamurchan Virtual Whisky Tasting, 05 November 2020). Nose: Honey, vanilla, brine. Very light smoke. Palate: Summer fruits, subtle peat smoke, honey, brine/salt, marzipan. Slightly 'hot' but not distractingly so. Finish: Tannic, plum & dark fruit, leather. Lingering salty peat right at the end. There is a rich, waxy mouthfeel. A good amount of complexity for it's age. This comes across as a well made dram. I'll be interested to see what they are producing with a few more years on the spirit. Bottling date: 09/20 Batch: 01 (Only batch of 2020) 16,000 bottles worldwide (2,000 in the UK allocation) Made-up of 53 casks. 65% bourbon, 35% sherry. 50/50 split peated and unpeated This would be a 5y/o if it had an age statement, with the oldest spirit in the batch being 6y/o (which is the oldest spirit made by Ardnamurchan). Came last of the six whiskies, with 0% of the final vote for favourite of the night. (78% of those present said they enjoyed the whisky). Suffered from being the first of the evening and possibly the least remarkable, but that shouldn't diminish the fact that this is an excellent young whisky.