Ardnahoe 5 Year Inaugural Release

Nose: Peat smoke, Diesel oil and farmyard in the distance, vanilla, barley sugar, butterscotch sauce, mint, lemon and cherry. After resting in the glass for a while I noticed apple puree spiced with clove. Water had little impact. Palate: The arrival is crisply smoky and sweet with beef bouillon and nutty sherry. In the development it initially gains softer, honeyed tones plus some mild wood spices and gentle maritime notes (shellfish) before mellowing out into chocolate and nut muesli bar. The texture is neutral – it has weight but not density. Water has more impact on the palate than the nose, bringing out sweetness. Finish: Medium. Subtle smoke with the late-development fruity flavours trailing into the aftertaste. This young whisky is impressive for a first effort from a new distillery, but as good as it is I think it is a mere suggestion of what Ardnahoe will be bottling in a couple of decades. Most of the recently established Scottish distilleries are producing high-ester spirit that is ready for sale after 3 years, but to me the Ardnahoe spirit tastes like it has been designed for long maturation. There is also something quintessentially “Islay” about it, but in a good way. Its smokiness is not generic and it's not just an imitation of another Islay spirit, it’s more that it suggests aspects of several Islay whiskies and I noticed aspects of Lagavulin, Caol Ila and Ardbeg while tasting it. I look forward to following their development and enjoying further bottlings as they bring older whisky to market. This is definitely one to watch. Tasted at the distillery, 16 April 2025. “Very Good” : 85/100 (4 stars)

I usually treat inaugural releases as a marketing gimmick. Something new and shiny, bottled too soon, and limited release making it silly overpriced. Not to mention severely underwhelming in taste. Even if it’s bottled with a good age statement and taste great, there’s still that over-price factor ( Daftmill inugural comes to mind). Except for now. This is a 5yr old , respectable 50%, 70k bottle release, priced at a very affordable $75. And taste fantastic! Nose: wow, not expecting this…big smack of peat and smoke. Palette: this is where that use of sherry comes out. Initially soot and campfire, but then turns into apples, heather , red berries and cocoa. Think if Ledaig and Balvenie had a child. This is really impressive for a first release. And more so considering its for the mass market at a whopping 70,000 bottle release. They really wanted all to be able to afford it and, more importantly, OPEN it to drink, not to hoard. Till now, my favorite inaugural release ( that I actually opened and had) was Kilchoman, and more recently, Torabhaig. Others were simply too expensive ( Daftmill, Bimber), or simply “meh, it’s fine” ( Aber Falls, Lagg, Drumshambo, Cotswold, Filey Bay, Isle of Harris, Lochlea, Wolfburn, Mc’Nean). This is now my new favorite inaugural release, with the bonus factor of actually being damn good. Buy on sight. Sure, slightly pricey for a 5 yr old ( still not bad, considering Ardbeg Wee Beastie is $65 and not as good), but damn affordable for an inaugural release.

Treated to a generous sample, I was looking forward to this tasting. My first Ardnahoe. Not sure of what to expect. Throw on a movie and take it for a ride. N: Sweet peat. Muscular yet approachable. A very inviting nose. A touch of salinity with the phenols always conjures images of a beach bonfire. Butterscotch, orange rinds, lemon drops, black tea and, believe it or not, eucalyptus. A very eclectic aroma mix. P: The body is thin. Thinner than you would expect given the hearty nose. Fruity and spicy. The sherry notes is the first flavor that you encounter. Somewhat akin to Glendronach. The phenols coat the palate. But with it, an apple orchard, leather, cherries, demerura sugar, nougat and milk chocolate ( think 3 Musketeers bar). These flavors don’t all come out at once. Time and patience are rewarded. F: At the end of it all, the palate is left sooty, tarry, vanilla-d. Cigar and caramel remain forever. A nice long finish. W: Water sweetens the dram. I am unsure if it improves the dram or not. It does help open the nose, however. O: @PBMichiganWolverine best describe this: “Think if Ledaig and Balvenie had a child”. Spot on analogy. This has all the right elements and balance to make it a wonderful pour. More impressively, this is only five years young but sips as a very mature whisky. This is worthy of a spot in the cabinet if you find it. Thank you again @PBMichiganWolverine [94/100][Tasted: 6/7/24]

I am late with my review, but it is never too late to celebrate what may be the best inaugural release in recent years. The nose is unmistakably Islay, it is smoky, briny and slightly earthy. Orange zest, unripe peach and seaweed emerge, mingling with boiled tomatoes, peppermint and farmyard notes. Gingery and citric in the arrival, the palate evolves with oak spices, honey and a kick of dry peatiness. It hides its young age well. Licorice, lime and hints of rubber conclude the herbal-fresh finish. Kudos to Ardnahoe, opting for a 5-year-old was the right choice. RATING: 3.9/5.0 stars ≙ 86 pts → FIRST-CLASS [-]

Fruity nose - apple, citrus. Smoke comes on the palate, especially the back end. Moderate peat, which comes across to me more as smoke than vegetal, brine, or medicinal. There’s a thickness to it, , but it doesn’t seem especially oily. I’m not sure if that even makes sense. The palate is pretty straight forward, not getting much different from sip to sip. It’s also a little bit brash. But certainly enjoyable and I look forward to trying their stuff as it gets older.

Sweetened, light peat, dried apricots and buttercream nose. Toast with pear jam, sweet floral peat, and peanut shells. Finish is warming barrel spice. The peat is reminiscent of Caol Ila and Lagavulin. The initial hype got my hopes up, and I was let down at first. However, the more air the bottle gets and the more exposure I have to it, really highlights the quality of this dram. Tons of potential.