Review #654 - Ardnamurchan Ardnamerica Tour Bottling (2025)
The third edition of Ardnamurchan's Ardnamerica series: this is the 2025 tour bottling, a small batch release made specifically for Ardnamurchan's journey of tasting events through the Midwest United States. Each year, the cask mix chosen for the bottling is a bit different; this year, the focus is on Sauternes casks. Here's the full composition of the batch:
3 peated spirit casks - 3 years and 6 months in ex-bourbon barrels, followed by a finish of 3 years and 3 months in Sauternes barriques, for a total age just under 7 years
1 unpeated spirit cask - the full 8 years of maturation in an ex-bourbon barrel
So, it's mostly peated spirit, and there should be a heavy influence from that long finish (double maturation?) in the Sauternes wine casks. This batch is bottled at a cask strength of 57.5% ABV; a total of 900 bottles were produced.
Ardnamurchan Ardnamerica Tour Bottling (2025)
Scotland/Highland - Single Malt
Price: USD 99 (2025)
Age Statement: 6 Years
Strength: 57.5% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon and Sauternes casks
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; bottled 2025; 900 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time; bottle at 50% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a nosing glass, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Honey and golden apple up front - relatively sweet. The peat smoke influence actually starts out somewhat reserved, but builds over time; white chocolate, green apple, and white raisin add to the sweeter side. In the background, we get more Ardnamurchan spirit character: salt, some mineral notes.
Palate: The mouthfeel is thick - it's rich and punchy, and we get waves of creme brulee, vanilla, and sweet peat to start. The peat is a bit stronger on the palate than the nose, accented by spirity notes, some wood spice, and slate; yellow apple brings back a fruity character.
Finish: Quite sweet, with honey, Mandarin oranges, and golden orchard fruits still lingering. There is some soft warmth from the strength, and we get a fizzy sensation from the combination of peat and sweetness; in the background, petrichor and wood smoke linger.
Final Note: Another awesome bottling from Ardnamurchan - their Ardnamerica series continues to impress. The combination of smoky notes and sweet cask influence is a treat, and the texture is excellent at this strength; we love those baking notes and light fruits that Sauternes casks bring to a whisky.
Value is decent; this isn't the cheapest Ardnamurchan whisky, with a price around $100, but the flavor is great, so it's a price we would be happy to pay. Good value, as usual, from this West Highland distillery.
Our Average Rating: 8.2 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.92
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
