Ardnamurchan 2017 AD/ Paul Launois Fourth Release 7 Years Old

Released in 2024 from 2017 distilled spirit, this is the fourth Paul Launois Release from Ardnamurchan, a 7 Years Old expression bottled at 57.3% ABV for the European market. The Champagne cask collaboration with Paul Launois of Le Mesnil sur Oger continues here, tracking the evolution of the partnership across successive distillery vintages.

Both peated and unpeated production runs from the distillery's split regime feed this release. Concerto barley is milled into a copper topped semi lauter mash tun, fermented 72 to 120 hours in seven stainless steel washbacks on a single strain distiller's yeast, then double distilled through wash and spirit stills with reflux boil balls to a new make of 74 to 76% ABV. Spirit was filled at 63.5% for primary maturation in ex Bourbon casks before finishing in ex Paul Launois Blanc de Blancs Champagne casks at Glenbeg.

Paul Launois sources its Blanc de Blancs Chardonnay entirely from Grand Cru rated chalk soils, and the casks retain residual wine compounds characteristic of traditional method Champagne. Autolytic notes from extended lees ageing, the chalky mineral register associated with the source terroir, and bright citrus and brioche carry across into the finish. The seven year ex Bourbon base supplies vanillin and oak lactone structure. Peated phenols (guaiacol, syringol, 4 methylguaiacol from St Fergus Highland peat at 30 to 35 ppm) sit as structural smoke beneath the wine derived top notes.