Ardnahoe Inaugural Release 5 year old

Profile: The Ardnahoe Inaugural Release 5 year old at a glance

• Ardnahoe's first single malt: The Inaugural Release marks the start
• Matured in a cask combination of exBourbon & exOloroso Sherry Casks
• The characteristic Islay characteristics of peat and smoke harmonize with a sweet fruitiness and intense depth of flavor - A New Islay Classic
• Bottled with 50%vol. without artificial colors or chill filtration & a phenol content of 40ppm

Portrait: What makes the Ardnahoe Inaugural Release 5 year old special

With the Ardnahoe Inaugural Release 5 year old mark the fulfillment of the Laing family's long-held wish to produce their own single malt Scotch whiskey on the magical island of Islay, shaped by the three generations of the Laing family, which has been an important part of the whisky industry since 1940. Stewart Laing and his sons Andrew and Scott have long dreamed of opening their own distillery and in October 2018 the dream became reality when the first barrel with the number 001 was filled. Conceived by whisky legend Jim McEwan, Distillery Manager Fraser Hughes created the first generation of Ardnahoe using traditional methods: soft peated Islay water is taken from nearby Loch Ardnahoe, while the distillery uses two traditional wormwoods. Tubs - the only ones on Islay. These have been chosen to give the malt additional depth of flavor and complexity.

Inaugural Release - The Beginning of Ardnahoe

The Ardnahoe Inaugural Release was matured for 5 year old in a combination of exBourbon and exOloroso Sherry Casks and was produced at Ardnahoe's preferred alcohol content of 50% ABV. Bottled without artificial colors or chill filtration. The Ardnahoe distillery's cask selection is of great importance. The Bourbon Casks come directly from the USA and are made from American white oak and the Oloroso Sherry Casks, which come directly from Jerez, are made from European oak.

Tasting Notes: This is what the Ardnahoe Inaugural Release 5 year old tastes like

• Nose: in the nose a wonderful potpourri of shortbread, baked apples and Islay peat smoke
• Palate: soft and full in taste with strong notes of vanilla cream, ginger and fresh lemon peel, followed by warm baked apple and peat smoke
• Finish: long in the finish - again the vanilla cream and the baked apple - now peaty and smoky