Ardnahoe Inaugural Release

December 31, 2024

It’s often hard to find a distillery’s first bottling that stands out as something special or unique. So when one of the newest distilleries on Islay puts their first one out there on the shelf, it only seems right to find out if they’ve cracked the code and created something memorable. This time around I’m reviewing the Ardnahoe Inaugural Release, created by the team at the Ardnahoe Distillery, located up a two-mile, single-track road, in the village of Port Askaig, on the northern end of the lovely Scottish isle of Islay.

The Ardnahoe Distillery sits on a beautiful patch of land on the island of Islay and I’ve had the extreme good fortune to have made the trip to that distillery twice now and I can tell you, if whisky is a reflection of its place of origin then this spirit has some great potential. Besides its location, the distillery has some other unique qualities that make it stand out. In their still room, the pot stills have what are said to be the longest lyne arms of any distillery in Scotland, at over 24 feet long. Then, to turn that precious vapor back into liquid, those long Lyne arms feed into the only worm tubs on Islay. They say those worm tubs give Ardnahoe’s whiskies a heavier and more complex flavor profile. We’ll see about that.

The ownership team, Stewart Laing and his sons Andrew and Scott, began production in October of 2018 with the assistance of the legendary Jim McEwan. Around 90 percent of their production run uses barley that’s been peated to around 40 PPM. And, like many distilleries in Scotland, they source their casks from both the United States and Spain.

I got my bottle of this Inaugural Release from the distillery and I’d like to mention just how much I love the bottle. It’s elegant in design, it’s comfortable to hold, and just looks great siting on a shelf.

The inaugural release became available earlier this year, and was released as a five year old whisky, with maturation done in ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks. And it’s been bottled at a healthy 50 percent ABV. It’s nice to say that Ardnahoe joins a growing list of distillers who understand the importance of producing a product that’s both non-chill filtered and with all natural color. That gets a thumbs up from me.

When you hold it up to the light, the natural color you see is a light gold, like liquid amber honey, and the legs are gloopy and beautifully slow.

Nose:

I initially get the lovely scent of smoked chocolate! This is followed up with the playful scenes of being near over-toasted marshmallows. The nose detects freshly oiled wood. Then the smell of car wax, which is something I actually really like. And then I pick up a nice hot-buttered rum.

Palate:

Right off the bat there’s taste of general big spice. This is immediately followed up by a nice little cigarette ash. Not overpowering, like a heavy cigar after burn. Then I get the balancing side of things with an inviting sweetness. I get caramel. I get bubble gum. And I get a creaminess. After a few sips I’m back to the smoke but it’s gentle, like getting the campfire going at the beach with some fresh twigs as a starter. And, while there, maybe roasting some apples.

It’s got a balanced profile that I think stands up on its own so I opted not to add any water to this one for purposes of this review.

Finish:

The finish is moderately long and I find it quite pleasant. There’s a creamy smokiness, balanced with caramel, apples, and coffee, like a warm latte.

Rating:

A first release is often a tough thing to nail accurately, especially at 5 years, but this doesn’t drink like many 5 year olds on the market. There’s a smooth maturity that doesn’t overpower, but still makes its presence known in a big way. They wanted their whisky to have a particular peat profile and I’m confident in saying they’re on the right track.

I’m so impressed with what the folks at Ardnahoe have done with the resources they have, and I think anyone who gets their hands on one of these bottles will not be disappointed with its rich, complex flavor. While I think there’s still room for slight improvement, and I’d like to see a young whisky like this offered at a little cheaper price, I really liked this one! So, without swelling their heads with too much praise, I’m very happy to give the Ardnahoe Inaugural Release a 9 finger pour.

Age Statement: 5 years

ABV: 50 %

Chill-filtered: no

E150a caramel coloring added: no

Average Price (700ml): $90 (US)

https://ardnahoedistillery.com/products/the-ardnahoe-inaugural-release