Ardnamurchan AD 09:15 Cask 588 FC Whisky Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 59,8%

September 2015, the distillery’s second year of operation. Cask 588 was filled with peated spirit and stood untouched for almost a decade before being emptied for one Danish importer. Two hundred and forty-eight bottles, and among the very first single casks Ardnamurchan released to a single customer.

The Expert's Description

Ardnamurchan AD 09:15 Cask 588 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a peated 1st fill American ex-bourbon barrel and bottled at 59.8% cask strength. The cask was filled in September 2015 and emptied in 2024, giving 248 bottles released exclusively for FC Whisky.

A first fill American ex-bourbon barrel is active: it gives vanilla, coconut and a clear sweetness that normally settles over a spirit. Here it meets peated spirit, and the result is a whisky where the sweetness and the smoke share the space rather than fighting for it.

Ardnamurchan began distilling in July 2014, so a cask from September 2015 comes from the distillery’s earliest years. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Peat smoke first, with vanilla and coconut right behind from the American wood. Salt and white pepper sit underneath, along with a clear maritime character that the peninsula’s seaside setting provides.

Palate

Peated and direct. Vanilla, salt and white pepper open, then the smoke arrives at full weight along with a dry oak note. The texture is oily, and at 59.8% there is plenty of concentration. Maritime in both nose and palate.

Finish

Long and dry. Smoke, salt and pepper, with a final vanilla sweetness beneath it all.

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan AD 09:15 Cask 588 FC Whisky Single Highland Malt Whisky 59.8%
Distillery: Ardnamurchan
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 59.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Peated 1st fill American ex-bourbon barrel, cask no. 588
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: September 2015
Bottled: 2024
Number of bottles: 248
Edition: Single Cask 588 for FC Whisky

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Maritime · Vanilla · Spiced · Cask Strength · Saline

Investment Potential

Medium. The cask is among the very first single casks from Ardnamurchan released exclusively to one importer, and only 248 bottles exist. Casks from the distillery’s first years are already few, and there will be no more.

Did You Know?

Ardnamurchan sits by the sea on a peninsula that reaches furthest west on the Scottish mainland. The warehouses stand so close to the water that the salt air draws into the casks during maturation. That is why even the bourbon matured releases often carry a maritime note you will not find in whisky from inland.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Ardnamurchan AD 09:15 Cask 588 FC Whisky Single Highland Malt Whisky 59.8%

What does AD 09:15 mean?

The distillery’s code for when the cask was filled: September 2015. That is the distillery’s second year of operation, and casks from that period are few and will not increase.

Why is this cask interesting?

It is among the very first single casks from Ardnamurchan released exclusively to one importer. Before releases like this there were only the distillery’s own batch bottlings, where many casks are blended together.

What does a first fill bourbon cask do to peated whisky?

It gives vanilla, coconut and sweetness that settle alongside the smoke rather than muting it. Because the cask is active, the whisky gains more body and the smoke gets something to play against.

Why does it taste maritime?

The warehouses stand close to the sea on a west-facing peninsula, and the salt air draws into the casks during maturation. That gives a saline note rarely met in whisky from inland.

Does it need water?

At 59.8% a few drops usually make sense. Water softens the smoke and draws the vanilla forward. Add slowly so the salt and pepper do not disappear. See our full range of Highland Whisky.

How many bottles are there?

248 bottles from the one cask. That is all there is, and no more of this exact whisky will be made.