Ardnamurchan
The Ardnamurchan Distillery is located on the peninsula of the same name in the village of Glenbeg in the Scottish Highlands.
| Information about the Distillery | |
|---|---|
| Scotland, Highlands | |
| -5.940673 56.691478 | |
| Active | |
| Adelphi Distillery | |
| 2014 | |
| http://www.adelphidistillery.com/ |
| Average tasting notes Tasting notes |
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Nosing
Peat Smoke:
Sweet:
Fruit:
Maritime Notes:
Spices:
Seaweed:
Sweet:
Sherry:
Peat Smoke:
Oak:
Maritime Notes:
Zitrus:
Herbs:
Nuts:
Fruit:
Malt:
Seaweed:
Oak:
Bonfire Smoke:
Vanilla:
Vanilla:
Caramel:
Honey:
Zitrus:
Apple:
Caramel:
Herb:
Honey:
Heather:
Malt:
Spices:
Apple:
Herbs:
Lemon:
Almonds:
Salt:
Bonfire Smoke:
Herb:
Nutmeg:
Nutmeg:
Mint:
Hay:
Pepper:
Dried Fruit:
Hay:
Salt:
Banana:
Chocolate:
Lemon:
Banana:
Tobacco:
Lemon Peel:
Chocolate:
Tobacco:
Ham:
Pepper:
Heather:
Leather:
Pear:
Iodine:
Iodine:
Black Currant:
Orange:
Floral:
Nuts:
Berries:
Pear:
Lemon Peel:
Oil:
Ginger:
Peach:
Plum:
Ginger:
Dark Chocolate:
Chili:
Floral:
Cinnamon:
Clove:
Peach:
Oil:
Sherry:
Hazelnut:
Date:
Lime:
Plum:
Orange:
Blackberry:
Leather:
Lime:
Chili:
Tasting
Peat Smoke:
Sweet:
Fruit:
Maritime Notes:
Seaweed:
Spices:
Peat Smoke:
Sherry:
Seaweed:
Sweet:
Maritime Notes:
Oak:
Fruit:
Pepper:
Oak:
Malt:
Herb:
Nuts:
Bonfire Smoke:
Pepper:
Spices:
Zitrus:
Zitrus:
Honey:
Bonfire Smoke:
Herbs:
Caramel:
Honey:
Herb:
Chocolate:
Pear:
Ham:
Chocolate:
Oil:
Caramel:
Pear:
Salt:
Banana:
Banana:
Leather:
Herbs:
Malt:
Grapefruit:
Grapefruit:
Heather:
Sherry:
Dried Fruit:
Floral:
Salt:
Oil:
Floral:
Raisin:
Dark Chocolate:
Berries:
Lemon:
Lemon:
Heather:
Leather:
Chili:
Lemon Peel:
Apple:
Chili:
Lemon Peel:
Vanilla:
Tobacco:
Ham:
Black Currant:
Peach:
Blackberry:
Almonds:
Ginger:
Wheat:
Coconut:
Peach:
Fig:
Almonds:
Strawberry:
Orange:
Vanilla:
Mint:
Nuts:
Plum:
Barley:
Apple:
Alcohol:
Orange:
Clove:
Grass:
Tobacco:
Coconut:
Dark Chocolate:
Finish
Peat Smoke:
Peat Smoke:
Maritime Notes:
Spices:
Oak:
Sweet:
Seaweed:
Oak:
Fruit:
Sherry:
Salt:
Maritime Notes:
Malt:
Salt:
Pepper:
Sweet:
Nuts:
Pepper:
Herb:
Zitrus:
Seaweed:
Herbs:
Zitrus:
Spices:
Malt:
Herb:
Oil:
Sherry:
Fruit:
Lemon Peel:
Lemon:
Oil:
Herbs:
Chocolate:
Bonfire Smoke:
Tobacco:
Lemon:
Caramel:
Ham:
Heather:
Tobacco:
Lemon Peel:
Tropical Fruit:
Alcohol:
Floral:
Floral:
Date:
Heather:
Leather:
Dark Chocolate:
Nuts:
Leather:
Berries:
Bonfire Smoke:
Walnut:
Pear:
Honey:
Almonds:
Alcohol:
Chili:
Chili:
Tropical Fruit:
Almonds:
Mint:
Plum:
Grape:
Apple:
Ginger:
Vanilla:
Hazelnut:
Honey:
Berries:
Coconut:
Apple:
Plum:
Black Currant:
Dark Chocolate:
Ginger:
Green Apple:
Mint:
Pear:
Caramel:
Hazelnut:
Coconut:
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The Whisky
The Ardnamurchan distillery produces both a smoky Whisky and a non-smoky Whisky. The Adelphi Distillery, the parent company of Ardnamurchan, sources rare single casks of selected Malt Whisky as the Adelphi Selection.
On every bottle of Ardnamurchan Single Malt there is a QR code that can be used to trace the supply chain of the respective bottle. The distillery uses so-called 'blockchain technology' for this purpose. This allows the customer to call up various information, such as the fermentation period, which malt was selected or which casks were used for the maturation.
The Production
For the distillery, sustainable production was important from the beginning. Since Whisky is a natural product, this should also be reflected in the way it is produced. Therefore, the distillery is run entirely on local renewable energy. The river that supplies the distillery's cooling water is also used to generate electricity by hydroelectric power. A biomass boiler is fuelled by wood chips from local forestry. In addition, Ardnamurchan recycles the by-products generated during Whisky production: The still energy-rich remains of the barley are used to feed all the cattle on the peninsula and the pot ale left behind (from the pot stills) is used as fertiliser.
The Pot Stills
The wash still at Ardnamurchan has a capacity of 10,000 litres, the spirit still with reflux bowl for more copper contact and thin neck has a capacity of 6,000 litres. The size of the still allows for slower distillation. The distillery thereby goes down in speed at the heart, producing a lighter, finer spirit. In addition, the cutting points are also adjusted separately. The pre-run is normal, but the cutting point for the post-run is set a little higher so that only finer elements go into the raw spirit and the bitter substances already come into the post-run.
The Fermentation
The distillery uses both unpeated and peated malt and uses different varieties, including Golden Promise, a historic malt variety. The mash tun is filled with two tonnes of barley meal. Together with the mash water, this yields about 10,000 litres of mash, which is then filled into the washbacks. Ardnamurchan has seven washbacks, some made of Douglas fir and the others of steel.
At Ardnamurchan, fermentation takes between 72 and 96 hours to produce a fruity wash with strong apple flavours.
The Warehouse
The Whisky is matured in the distillery's seven warehouses, all dunnage warehouses, in American and European oak, which has been used in ex-sherry casks and ex-bourbon casks.
However, Ardnamurchan also conducts some barrel experiments, for example with Rum or Tequila barrels.
The History
In 1826 the Loch Katrine Adelphi Distillery was built by Charles and David Gray on the banks of the River Clyde. In 1880 the distillery passed to Messrs A. Walker and Co. who already owned two existing distilleries in Liverpool and Limerick. Walker and Co. brought in new capital and expanded production to include Grain and Malt Whisky. They also installed a new Coffey Still. Six years later, in 1886, the Coffey stills and four pot stills are in full production and Loch Katrine Adelphi became one of the largest distilleries in Scotland, producing over 500,000 gallons (about 1.9 million liters) annually. In 1903 Adelphi was bought by the Distillers Company (now Diageo).
In 1906 a major disaster occurred at the distillery, the "Great Gorbals Disaster." A huge washback at the distillery in the Gorbal district of Glasgow collapsed, causing a Whisky tidal wave that flooded the distillery and the neighboring street and cost the life of one person. In 1907 Malt Whisky production ceased, but Grain distillation and barrel aging continued. In 1932 the production of Grain Whisky also ended and from 1968 to 1971 the distillery was demolished. In 1984 the Glasgow Central Mosque was built on the site of the former Adelphi Distillery.
Jamie Walker (the great-grandson of Archibald Walker) revives the Adelphi name in 1993 as an independent bottler. In 2004 Alex Bruce started work at Adelphi and begins to establish the bottler's name among Whisky connoisseurs around the world as a purveyor of rare and exceptional single casks. Adelphi Distillery owners Keith Falconer and Donald Houston began planning the new distillery west of their Glenborrodale Castle headquarters in 2007. Construction started in the fall of 2012, with commissioning scheduled for 2014. The target for the start is the production of 100,000 liters of alcohol per year with continuously increasing yield.
The Visitor Centre
The distillery offers guided tours and tastings.
Ardnamurchan Distillery Ltd
Ardnamurchan Distillery Visitor Centre
Glenbeg
Ardnamurchan
Argyll
PH36 4JG
Tel: +44 (0)1972-500285
Email: ardnamurchan@adelphiedistillery.com
User Notes about the Distillery
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