Ardnamurchan Champagne Cask AD 06:22 Single Highland Malt Whisky 57,5%

Champagne casks barely exist. The houses in Champagne use their own casks again and again and rarely sell them on. Getting hold of 195 litre casks from Paul Launois in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is therefore an unusual thing to be able to write on a whisky label.

The Expert's Description

Ardnamurchan Champagne Cask Paul Launois AD 06:22 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in 195 litre champagne casks from Paul Launois and bottled at 57.5% cask strength. The outturn was 2,661 bottles.

Paul Launois is based in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in the Côte des Blancs, one of the villages in Champagne classified as grand cru. The area is known for chardonnay, and casks from there carry a far lighter and more mineral character than the sherry and port casks whisky is usually finished in.

A cask of 195 litres is small enough to work quickly, and at 57.5% the concentration is high. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Green apple and lemon peel first, with a light bready note as from champagne’s time on the lees. Beneath sit Ardnamurchan’s own peat smoke and a maritime salinity, plus vanilla from the bourbon maturation before the finish.

Palate

Fresh and taut to begin, which is unusual at this strength. Apple, citrus and a chalky minerality open, then the smoke arrives and brings weight. A fine acidity runs the whole way and keeps the whisky light on its feet despite the 57.5%.

Finish

Long and dry. Citrus, mineral and smoke, with a final malt sweetness lingering.

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan Champagne Cask Paul Launois AD 06:22 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 57.5%
Distillery: Ardnamurchan
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 57.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in 195 litre champagne casks from Paul Launois
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 2,661
Edition: Champagne Cask AD 06:22
EAN no.: 5060383652376

Flavour Profile

Fresh · Smoky · Mineral · Citrus · Cask Strength · Maritime

Investment Potential

Medium. Champagne casks are rare in a whisky context, and an outturn of 2,661 bottles from a named grand cru house is not something that comes round again. Experimental cask releases from young distilleries often become sought after once the series has ended.

Did You Know?

Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is one of only seventeen villages in Champagne with grand cru status, the highest classification the region has. The soil is chalk, and it is the chalk that gives the wines their mineral character. Some of that carries into the wood, and on into the whisky.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Ardnamurchan Champagne Cask Paul Launois AD 06:22 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 57.5%

Why are champagne casks rare in whisky?

Because the houses in Champagne use their casks again and again and rarely sell them on. Unlike sherry and port casks, which are traded in volume, you need an arrangement in place to get hold of them.

What does a champagne cask do to whisky?

It gives freshness, citrus and a chalky minerality rather than sweetness. Where a sherry cask lays dark fruit over the top, a champagne cask pulls the whisky in a lighter and tighter direction.

Who is Paul Launois?

A champagne house in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in the Côte des Blancs, one of the villages in Champagne with grand cru status. The area is known for chardonnay and for the chalk beneath the vineyards.

Is it worth the outlay?

The case rests on the rarity of the cask type and on the outturn being finite. 2,661 bottles from named champagne casks is a release that will not be made again, and the cask type barely exists elsewhere in Scotch whisky.

Does it need water?

At 57.5% a few drops usually make sense, but go carefully. The whisky is built on freshness and acidity, and too much water can blur exactly what the champagne cask contributed. See our full range of Highland Whisky.

Does it work with food?

Try it with oysters, smoked salmon or a fresh goat’s cheese. The maritime salinity and the acidity work much as a champagne would, only with smoke on top.