59,2°
Distillery : Ardnamurchan - Highlands
Ex-American Oak Bourbon Barrels
Original Bottling
Limited Edition
Single Malt
Bottled in 2025
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength
Totally Unpeated
The small distillery in Ardnamurchan is constantly experimenting. This time, it’s a limited edition of 10,290 bottles, crafted from unpeated Golden Promise barley. This type of barley piques the interest of any self-respecting whisky enthusiast, as it was the barley used to make whisky right up until the 1990s. It was subsequently phased out as it was not profitable enough. Reviving this barley is a commendable initiative, and I simply had to give it a try. The whisky was matured for at least six years in perfectly traditional ex-American oak bourbon casks.
Let's Taste It :
An abundance of dried cereals, barley, maize, wheat and millet, enveloped in a veil of vanilla and honey. Mineral and briny notes to give a touch of depth. Orchard fruits, apples and pears, freshly tedded hay, limestone, ointment. Lovely oak. After a while, a fine balance emerges. Peanut butter. On the palate, it is oily, honeyed, lemony, hazelnut milk, very ripe yellow plums, royal jelly, spices that gradually become very powerful. A long finish, not too violent, crisp biscuits, milky vanilla. Shortcrust pastry, waffles drizzled with maple syrup, cinnamon and cloves, nutmeg. Walnut shells. Coconut pearls.
In Short,
It’s very interesting, you can really tell that the Golden Promise barley brings a cereal-like intensity that you don’t usually find in whisky. What’s more, it pairs beautifully with the honey and citrus notes of the Bourbon, resulting in this well-crafted whisky. The only flaw – but it’s a significant one – is that it’s still too young to be truly good, you can sense a certain roughness, a lack of subtlety, which is a bit of a shame. With a few more years’ ageing, it would be much better. But as the price is quite low, it’s worth buying a bottle all the same, if only to satisfy your curiosity. I think it’s best to add a few drops of water to it.
Score : 87
To Be Listened While Sipping :
Slomosa - Dune
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