Review 261. Ardnahoe 5 year old cask strength

I’m not what you’d call an ‘early adapter’. There are people out there who, whenever something new and exciting sees the light of day (be it the latest i-phone, a new state of the art home entertainment system, or, indeed, whisky) have notifications going off in their calendars as if it were their last day on earth. People, in short, who make sure their finger is on the pulse of what’s buzzing and make sure they’re among the first to get  their hands on it.

That’s not me. At all. While I’m as curious and interested to try something new as anybody, I’m not really in a rush to queue up. Perhaps not the greatest mindset to go about your way when you’re blogging on whisky – or any topic for that matter, but then again, and  in case you haven’t noticed: there is an awful lot of whisky out there. The plus side of this ‘don’t fret’ attitude, is that something like FOMO very rarely hits me. And while I seldom actually chase bottles,  occasionally something new and recently released falls into my lap and obviously  I’ll happily embrace the serendipity and report on it as soon as possible. But if straight from the proverbial press is what you’re after, I feel there are bloggers and whiskytubers out there who do a far better job at it than me.

Basically what this means is that when everyone started raving about Ardnahoe some two years ago, I made a solid note to self to try some when the opportunity presents itself. As it turns out: opportunity presented itself now.

Ardnahoe 5 year old cask strength. 1^st fill bourbon cask matured, 60.9% ABV. 2025 release. App. €75/£65

I picked up this release from late 2025 at Liquid Leuven. As it happens Scott Laing, director for Hunter Laing and Ardnahoe, was there pouring the drinks  and talking the talks. An indication that they’re looking to invest and expand  in the Benelux market? Possibly. He was the most friendly, approachable man one could hope for and during the brief and informal talk I had with him, we discusses not so much Ardnahoe, but more their Scarabus brand. Which, after first popping up in 2019, sort of fell of my radar a bit. When asked if there are any plans with the brand as things seemed to have been quiet (understandable of course when you’re busy getting a distillery up and running), he assured me Scarabus is anything but discontinued and there are plans to launch new expressions in the near future. All of this chat took place while I sipped on their newly released 5 year old cask strength. Perhaps I was a bit distracted and didn’t really gave the dram in my hand its due attention, but while I enjoyed it, it didn’t really ‘wow’ me. So the obvious thing to do, was to ask for a sample to take home so I could enjoy and assess it later, in the comfort and silence of my own home.

Nose

Lots and lots of white fruit notes – peach, apricot and pear , alongside vanilla and honey. This sweetness has a sense of overripe, all but decaying fruit to it adding a lovely funky vibe to things, which in turn transitions into a slightly vegetal – greenhouse like note. Where’s the peat? Well, it’s there, but shy and sort of interwoven into all the other notes rather than being a sensation in its own right. When adding water (this is all but 61% ABV!) the peat becomes more noticeable. Lovely and spirity!

Palate

The first sip didn’t really bombard me with super intense fiery – pepper notes from the high ABV, but while it doesn’t really bite as hard as you might expect, it does somewhat put a leash on things. Adding water really helps to open up the flavours. There’s peat and smoke which again is intertwined nicely with a lot of (white) fruit notes. We’re not a million miles away from and Ardbeg-like profile here, as there is quite a lot of delicate, fruity  stuff going on behind that veil of peat and smoke, although Ardbeg is a bit more maritime and citrus driven. The mouthfeel is medium full  and a bit dry, revealing a bit of wood and spices.

Finish

Drying and long, smoky-ashy and an echo of fruit.

Final thoughts

What speaks to me the most here is the nice balance. The way the peat and the estery, fruity notes find each other is simply lovely. That said, while I’m impressed with the subtleties and nuances,  this didn’t knock me on my backside either. I tend to really enjoy young whiskies (and this one is still quite young and spirit driven despite it being matured in first fill bourbon barrels), and this is no exception. But am I inclined to pay the €75- €80 for a full bottle of this? I’m not really sure, to be honest. There’s no doubt this is good whisky even at just 5 years of age, and you can tell this will only improve further in years to come as the foundations and intrinsic quality are undeniable. Ardnahoe have some unique and distinctive features (one quick glance at the always trustworthy and quintessential Malt Whisky Yearbook tells me that they have the longest lyne arms of all the distilleries in Scotland, making for fruity new make. They also are the only one on Islay using wooden worm tubs and while they are definitely producing peated whisky, some 10% of the barley they use is in fact unpeated) which makes them stand out. They have the capacity and ability to create something unique and I feel as if this expression already shows that in the way the fruit and the peat are so intertwined. It’s already very decent and it will continue to develop and improve into something absolutely special. Currently,  what this has to offer me I feel is good -shy on being very good- young Islay whisky, showcasing promise and  potential. That said, I feel I need to point out that to me perhaps  this one comes up just a wee bit short when talking depth and balance between spirit and cask. I am dead set on trying  and buying their other releases, but, while enjoyable,  I don’t really feel I absolutely need this one to be in my cabinet.