Ardnamurchan AD/ Sauternes Cask Release Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Not only have Ardnamurchan been busy celebrating the distillery turning ten years old, they've also launched their first ever Sauternes cask malt. It's made up of unpeated spirit initially matured for over five years in first-fill bourbon casks before being transferred to Sauternes barriques for an additional 2.5 years. Clocking up eight years in oak makes it one of the distillery's oldest releases to date. Bottled at high strength, the batch equates to 6000 bottles across the globe.

For those who don't already know, Sauternes is a famous Bordeaux wine region synonymous with the world's finest sweet white wines. No surprise then that the secondary ageing adds another twist to the Hebridean spirit - a nose full of apricot jam, almond flakes, marzipan, brioche and dried stone fruit, followed by a finish that's less sweet than the nose, wonderfully balanced and slightly dry with some of that classic Ardnamurchan salinity shining through. 50% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.