PBMichiganWolverine
Ardnamurchan AD/09.20:01
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed
November 25, 2020 (edited December 2, 2021)
I did something recently which probably makes flippers and collectors dumb-founded. I opened a hard to get inaugural release. Well, first thing is first, before we actually get to this whisky: we have to deal with the 800lb gorilla in the room. That is the sheer silliness of 3yr old first releases getting bought by collectors at prices 3-5x over its entry. Look at the recent Mc’Nean. On the shelf for a whole 1 minute at $50, then flipped the next auction for $200. Then there’s the first few releases of Waterford. Ratheadon, Ballyclavan and Bannow were $60, but flipped for $400-500. This is another one as such—-bought for $50, but now in the secondaries for $300. A 3yr old should barely be $50, not in the same playing field as well established 20+ yr olds.
Anyway, enough of my rant...will get off my soapbox. So, this is the newest Highlander, owned and operated by Adelphi. Their claim to fame is the use of blockchain technology to track everything from crop to buyer. Can’t help but applaud them for using state of the art technology. That’s all good...but how’s the liquid? Well...it’s decent. Herbal and briny on the nose. I had to look up whether this was an Islander or not. Acts like an Islander, but it’s a Highland. Oak, spice, driftwood on the palette. Really feels like it’s an Islander...it’s as if Talisker would be at 3 yr and no peat. Just brine, driftwood and oak.
I want to say “this is a great start for a 3 yr old”, and it is. At $50, yeah it’s worth it. But don’t pay a penny over it. Sadly, this 3yr old sold out in minutes, only to show up in secondaries for multiples of that price.
50.0
USD
per
Bottle
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@PBMichiganWolverine It's a 2014/15 vintage and bottled Sept 2020, so it should be approx. 5 years old. It will be my first review in May, but I'd like to explore it a little further before coming to a conclusion. Probably 3.5 stars for me. Liked the Three Ships 12-year-old a little more, and that one knocked on the door of 4 stars.
@Slainte-Mhath what did you think ?
@Slainte-Mhath is it ? I wasn’t sure—I assumed 3, like all other new releases
@PBMichiganWolverine Isn't this release 5 years old?
@PBMichiganWolverine Popped the cork of my bottle last week, got it for a decent price and I don't care about its value in a few years, I am no flipper. I'll review it in a few weeks, but my first impression was not bad at all.
@CKarmios and you see this silly pricing puts distilleries in a tough position. They can put out a $50 inaugural. They can make it as a 15k bottle output. But you have flippers that’ll sell it for 3-5x. So—-in order to capture those profits instead of giving it to flippers, distillers have a tough choice—-so they sell it for high as well, or let the market do it’s thing? Market generally wins.
Please stay on your soapbox. Concerning the secondary market inaugural’s we need more “ranters” of your type
Well done on getting a bottle
@ContemplativeFox I think these inaugurals are never as good as the established older ones. Only exception I felt were Bimber and Daftmill (the latter is actually 12 yr old )
@cascode lasted longer in Aus than other places at least
Thanks for opening it and telling us how it is :) With everyone else collecting it as an investment, we'd never of known how good it was otherwise.
Nope - all gone :) You can still get the pre-whisky "spirit" release, but this first batch is sold out now.
Well done, brother, well done. That's what whisky is for! Thanks for sharing tyour notes, I think this is available locally and I'm enthused sufficiently to obtain one. Cheers!
Good on you for cracking it open :-) Sad that it was better selling it but at least there wouldn't be the 'what if...' if you didn't get to taste it! I'd drunk everything I offloaded bar one or two..very happy with the ones I kept and opened!