Ardnamurchan AD/11:16 Single Cask
Kensington Wine Market Pick 1146 | 57.5% ABV
The Joke’s On Me
I’ll eat my words now. My shoulders are broad and chin sturdy enough to accept whatever my fated words have in store. Only a few months after my rant on the lack of Ardnamurchan single casks making their way to foreign markets, especially those in Canada (we are thirsty whisky folks here), my local kick-ass team at KWM pulls in an Ardna single cask.
Kensington Wine Market, a local specialty store, is known here for their single cask picks. I’ve been sampling store picks from various sources for several years and I can tell you there is a significant difference in quality of the experience. Some stores, the quality is questionable (say a score 5-6) while others are always a 6+ and worth the money.
Admittedly, this is a broad sweeping statement and is only based upon my experience from local-to-me stores in Alberta, Canada. There, that’s my disclaimer. Let us know in the comments if you think some stores have better picks than others; it might help your fellow Dramface readers. Moving on.
In general, store exclusive bottlings are generally a travelling road show of samples and “pre-picked” casks by the distillery. Each sample comes with its own pricing, positives and negatives. A set brace / spread / variety / outturn / assortment of casks (I don’t know the right word for a subset of casks available for release) and their samples are usually passed around various stores for their review, both in terms of quality / pricing, and the ability to sell within each respective market. These samples, as we would expect from a single cask perspective, can range in quality and attributes. Some stores will jump on the cheapest option, the darkest liquid, or the cask that will sell quickest within their local market, thereby reducing the operating overhead of the store.
So when shopping for single cask store picks, it can be a crap-shoot as these are official bottlings - but influenced by the purchasing principles of the individual store - and indie exclusives can be all over the place. This is also very similar to independent bottlers, where we “get to know” their preferences, qualities, and associated value propositions. Much the same as Dramface, where “getting to know the writer” can allow you to understand their frame of reference for a particular whisky. So getting to know the quality and value proposition of a store pick is essential for making the right call in purchasing.
In my experience, KWM generally releases good stuff. I think they only accept around 5% of the single cask IB or OB options presented to them, if not less. Don’t quote me directly on that factoid, I’ve been delinquent in setting up a 1-on-1 with the store to get the real dirt. Life gets in the way, especially when your day job is a 50 hr/wk and a young family, and this crazed whisky passion gets the back seat. It's not KWM’s fault but mine. So while this might apply to KWM samples and their whisky-passionate team, the inverse indicates the potential volume of “lesser” single casks that might be diverted to other stores.
Back to the whisky now shall we?
Review
Ardnamurchan AD/11:16, 7yo, Kensington Wine Market Sotre Pick Single Cask 1146, Peated, ex-bourbon cask, 57.5% ABV
CAD$132 paid (£75) local availability only
Nose
After some in-bottle air time, this whisky reminds me of my other peated single cask. Clean and pure, light and bright. Warm maritime breeze. Lemon and vanilla extract. Dry wood and peat smoke, however it is far from overpowering. A balanced and quite rewarding nasal experience.
Palate
Dry summer grass. Mineralic (sea shells). Dry silage. Intense dry peat/driftwood smoke on the latter half. Coastal cave aged cheddar. Brightness with lemon zest. Vanilla pound cake. Good weighty mouthfeel and a significant linger on the palate, especially the driftwood, citrus, and cheesiness.
With a few drops of water, the cheese is virtually gone as are the silage and grassy notes. My preferences therefore lie more towards the experience with some water added.
The Dregs
So how did the fine folks at KWM do with this pick? Well I admit that I underestimated their typically spot-on tasting notes. We both picked up on the funky notes although I was surprised by the significance of the funky farmy cheesy notes in this whisky. Nobody’s fault there but they sure did pick an objectively unique cask. The price is also fair for single cask offerings, in a similar range as other 9-13 yr single malt options from other independent bottlers and distillery exclusives.
This whisky needed some headspace and time to develop in the bottle. I’ll admit that I was disappointed and surprisingly repulsed by the first forays into this bottle. But after 6 weeks, it came around significantly on the nose and the funky palate was dialed back a bit. As you read above, it definitely still possesses that funk factor if you like experiencing flavours on the fringe.
Now for the scoring… this is such a perfect bullseye on a 6.5/10, the first time I’ve truly been conflicted in scoring. The funkiness means this isn’t for everyone, yours truly included, making it a 5.5 or even 6. Yet it is a quality malt whisky and water does allow you to dial in your sweet spot in terms of flavours and experiences, relegating this to the 6 or 7/10 territory. Given that I’m price conscious and also consider value in my scoring, I will be putting this into the 6/10 “Good Stuff” category graced by many other worthy whiskies.
It’s good but for this experience, there are many other worthy competitors out there and this wee-un from Glenbeg is in good company, it’s just not special enough - just yet - to climb a rung on my scoring ladder.
Score: 6/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. BB