Ardnamurchan distillery information
The Ardnamurchan peninsula is the most westerly part of mainland Scotland, on which Ardnamurchan Distillery sits, though it isn’t quite the westernmost distillery itself, that distinction belongs to island distilleries further out, and even mainland neighbour Nc’nean sits slightly further west.
Ardnamurchan whiskies
- AD/ Single Malt – the core expression, a 50:50 blend of peated and unpeated spirit matured in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. Notes of orchard fruit, oyster shells, honey and marzipan. Bottled at 46.8% ABV, un-chill filtered and natural colour.
- AD/ Cask Strength Release – coastal peat smoke, vanilla and warm black pepper spice. Bottled at cask strength, which varies by batch.
- AD/ Sherry Cask Release – dried fruits and spices with a hint of maritime peat. Bottled at cask strength, which varies by batch.
Alongside the core range, an AD/ 10 Years Old has begun appearing as an annual limited release, expected to eventually join the permanent core range as stock allows.
Distillery info:
Detail |
Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Ardnamurchan |
| Region | Highland |
| Country | Scotland |
| Logo |  |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Water source | Local springs / Glenmore river |
| Malting floor | No |
| Owned by | The Adelphi Distillery Ltd |
| Address | Ardnamurchan DistilArdnamurchan Distillery.lery Visitor Centre, Glenbeg, Ardnamurchan, Argyll, PH36 4JG, Scotland |
| Visitor centre | Yes |
| Website | https://www.ardnamurchandistillery.com/ |
| https://www.twitter.com/Distillery1826 | |
| https://www.facebook.com/ardnamurchandistillery/ | |
| https://www.instagram.com/ardnamurchandistillery/ | |
| YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHW2ys4R24ZyIuYotSvy-KQ |
| Map |
Distillery Setup:
Component |
Capacity |
Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Mash tun | 2 tonnes | 1 (semi-lauter, stainless steel) |
| Washback | 10,000 litres | 7 (4 ex-Cognac vat wood, 3 stainless steel) |
| Wash still | 10,000 litres | 1 |
| Spirit Still | 6,000 litres | 1 |
| Expected yearly output in LPA (Litres of pure alcohol) | 500,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Not quite. Ardnamurchan sits on the Ardnamurchan peninsula, the most westerly part of mainland Scotland, but the westernmost distillery title belongs to island distilleries further out. Even its mainland neighbour Nc’nean sits slightly further west.
Ardnamurchan is owned by Adelphi, a name dating back to 1826, when the Gray family established the Loch Katrine Adelphi Distillery in Glasgow, named after nearby Adelphi Street and its water source, Loch Katrine. That original distillery changed hands in the 1880s and again in 1903 before eventually going dormant. In 1993, the Adelphi name was revived by the great-grandson of a former owner, this time as an independent bottler sourcing rare casks from distilleries across Scotland, building a strong reputation for quality selections.
After success as an independent bottler, Adelphi decided to build its own distillery rather than rely solely on purchased casks. The site chosen was Glenbeg on the Ardnamurchan peninsula, with Adelphi’s headquarters based at Charlestown, Fife. Construction began in 2013 and the distillery opened in 2014.
The distillery is powered largely by a wood chip biomass plant and hydroelectric generation from a nearby river, with by-products from distillation supporting small-scale local bio-production.
The distillery has its own malting floor on site, though it has never been brought into regular use. Malt is instead sourced from external maltsters, primarily from barley grown in Fife and Inverness, peated to around 30 ppm for the standard style and up to 88 ppm for a heavier variant.
The core expression is AD/ Single Malt, a 50:50 blend of peated and unpeated spirit matured in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, with notes of orchard fruit, oyster shells, honey and marzipan, bottled at 46.8% ABV, un-chill filtered and natural colour. Cask-strength variants include the AD/ Cask Strength Release, with coastal peat smoke, vanilla and warm black pepper spice, and the AD/ Sherry Cask Release, with dried fruits and spices and a hint of maritime peat. An AD/ 10 Years Old has also begun appearing as an annual limited release, expected to eventually join the permanent core range as stock allows.
Yes, Ardnamurchan has a visitor centre.