Ardnahoe v. Kilchoman Again: Ardnahoe Infinite Loch, Càraid Ìleach, Single Cask 84, Cask Strength

Описание: We're doing Ardnahoe v. Kilchoman again! You can go watch    • Ardnahoe Inaugural 5yo v. Kilchoman 100% I...   for the first round. No longer the newest distilleries on the island, they still make a great pair-up: this video's the Ardnahoe quartet, and the next one will be the Kilchoman one.

The Inaugural Release Ardnahoe, to review, completely blew my socks off. Recognizably Islay but grungy and edgy in a way that was all its own, I dropped an 89 on it and put it in my Top Spirits list of last year. Now we're doing their wider standard release, the Infinite Loch, as well as several samples that were very kindly donated: the new Cask Strength (in all-bourbon) and a pair of slightly scary sherry quarter-cask ones. Off we go:

Ardnahoe "Infinite Loch" Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (first fill ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso; bottled 9/24/2024, natural color, unchillfiltered; 50% ABV), 88+/100
Ardnahoe "Càraid Ìleach" Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (100% PX quarter cask; bottled 2025, natural color, unchillfiltered; 50% ABV), 87-/100
Ardnahoe 2019 "Single Cask" 6 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Oloroso Quarter Cask No. 84 (aged 6/19 to 7/25, 166 bottles; natural color, unchillfiltered; 60.8% ABV), 88/100
Ardnahoe "Cask Strength" Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Batch 1 (first fill ex-bourbon; bottled 10/9/2025, natural color, unchillfiltered; 60.9% ABV), 89/100

The Infinite Loch is a bit softer and "friendlier" than the old Inaugural Release, but it's darn close in terms of quality (and with water the fruit comes forward nicely). The two quarter casks aren't my favorites, but they're undeniably also very good and will certainly appeal to the "Shove Sherried Peaty Ardnamurchan Into My Face" Dramface crowd: the Càraid Ìleach has a ton of dirty raisiny stuff (but flattens out a bit with water), the Cask 84 is more of a conventional sherry bomb that lets a bit more of the Ardnahoe character creep in. And the all-bourbon Cask Strength is shockingly floral and even quite green: I adore it, and so will Bowmore fans, and so will quite a lot of mezcal fans to be honest.

Extra special thanks to my Different Spirits on Patreon (  / differentspirits  ) -

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