Ardnamurchan Madeira Cask Release AD Single Highland Malt Whisky 52%

Madeira is the only wine in the world that improves by being heated. The wine matures at around fifty degrees for months on end, and the casks carry that treatment with them: a cooked, nutty sweetness you will not find in other wine casks.

The Expert's Description

Ardnamurchan Madeira Cask Release AD is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in madeira casks and bottled at 52%. It combines the distillery’s craft approach and sustainable production with the distinctive influence of the madeira wood.

Madeira differs from other fortified wines in undergoing a heat treatment during maturation, where the wine is held warm for a long period. That gives a caramelised, nutty character not found in sherry or port, and the casks carry it on to the whisky.

At 52% there is body enough to carry both the madeira sweetness and Ardnamurchan’s own maritime character. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe stone fruit, candied orange peel and honey open the nose, joined by a light touch of sea breeze and spice. A nutty, almost caramelised note sits beneath it all, the fingerprint of the madeira cask.

Palate

Roasted nuts, dark caramel and dried fruit melting together with a light mineral character and a hint of smoke in the background. At 52% the texture is full, and the sweetness is dry rather than syrupy.

Finish

Long, warm and silky with an elegant sweetness from the madeira casks and a final dry nutty note.

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan Madeira Cask Release AD Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 52%
Distillery: Ardnamurchan
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 52%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in madeira casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Madeira Cask Release AD
EAN no.: 5060383654325

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Nutty · Caramel · Spiced · Maritime · Lightly Smoky

Did You Know?

Madeira is matured by heat because the wine was historically carried as ballast in ships crossing the tropics. It was discovered that the wine improved on the journey, from the heat and the movement. Today the effect is reproduced artificially, but the cooked, nutty character still comes from something that began as an accident at sea.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Ardnamurchan Madeira Cask Release AD Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 52%

What does a madeira cask do to whisky?

It gives a caramelised, nutty sweetness distinct from both sherry and port. Madeira is heat treated during maturation, and that leaves a cooked, almost toffee-like character in the wood which carries over into the whisky.

Is it sweet?

The sweetness is clear but dry. Madeira is not as syrupy as Pedro Ximénez, and Ardnamurchan’s maritime salinity and light smoke pull the other way. The result is balanced rather than dessert-like.

What is the difference between madeira, sherry and port in a cask?

Sherry gives raisins and nuts, port gives red fruit and sweetness, and madeira gives caramel, cooked fruit and a dry nutty note because of the heat treatment. Three fortified wines, three quite different imprints.

Is it peated?

Only lightly. Ardnamurchan blends peated and unpeated malt, and in this release the smoke sits as a hint in the background rather than a separate layer.

How is it best enjoyed?

Neat. At 52% it is already balanced, and a few drops of water can open the fruit if you like. See our full range of Highland Whisky.

Can it be used in cocktails?

It can, and it works surprisingly well in a whisky sour or an Old Fashioned, where the nutty sweetness gets something tart to play against. But it is interesting enough that it would be a shame not to taste it neat first.