Ardnamurchan 2018 AD/ Sauternes Cask Release Peated 7 Years Old

Released in 2025 from 2018 peated spirit only, the Sauternes Cask Release Peated is a 7 Years Old Ardnamurchan bottled at 50% ABV. The distillery filled 8,460 bottles for the European market. Unlike the standard releases that combine peated and unpeated runs, this expression draws exclusively from the peated portion of the split production regime.

Concerto barley is malted with St Fergus Highland peat at 30 to 35 ppm phenol content, 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. Double distillation through wash and spirit stills with reflux boil balls produces a new make at 74 to 76% ABV. Spirit was filled at 63.5% for primary maturation in ex Bourbon casks, then finished in ex Sauternes casks on site at Glenbeg.

The peated only base brings the full smoke character of guaiacol, syringol, 4 methylguaiacol and cresols forward without dilution from the unpeated half. Sauternes finishing layers a contrasting register through compounds left by Botrytis cinerea, the noble rot that concentrates the source grapes and develops apricot, honeysuckle and stone fruit aroma compounds. The wood retains glycerol and honeyed lactones from the botrytised wine, generating the honey, vanilla and citric character listed in the profile. The fresh fruit register reflects ester compounds carried from the long fermentation, with the smokey note pulling against the sweet wine foreground.