Ardnamurchan Single Cask 1520 Single Malt Scotch Whiskey Peated Oloroso Sherry Cask

Ardnamurchan Single Cask #1520 (2018) 6 Year Old Peated Oloroso Sherry Cask Strength is a bold, limited single-barrel Highland malt that perfectly illustrates the distillery’s rising reputation for intensely characterful young whisky. Bottled at a robust 58.6% ABV, this release combines Ardnamurchan’s coastal peat smoke with deep Oloroso sherry richness—delivering layers of dark fruit, maritime salinity, and smoky complexity. As a single-cask bottling, it offers a uniquely concentrated snapshot of the distillery’s spirit and cask influence, making it highly appealing to collectors and fans of powerful sherried peat.

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Origins & Craftsmanship

Ardnamurchan Distillery sits on the remote Ardnamurchan Peninsula on Scotland’s west coast, one of the country’s most rugged and isolated whisky regions. Founded in 2014 by the Adelphi Distillery Company, the distillery quickly gained attention for combining traditional whisky making with a modern sustainability-driven approach.

This whisky was distilled in 2018 and matured for approximately six years, allowing the youthful but expressive Ardnamurchan spirit to develop complexity within an active sherry cask. The whisky matured entirely in a single Oloroso sherry cask (Cask #1520), which contributes dense dried-fruit sweetness, spice, and nutty depth.

Ardnamurchan’s house style typically incorporates both peated and unpeated spirit, but this particular bottling emphasizes peated malt, creating a distinctive balance between maritime smoke and sherry richness.

Production highlights include:

• 100% Scottish malted barley
• Peated spirit with the distillery’s coastal mineral character
• Full maturation in a first-fill Oloroso sherry cask
• Single cask bottling with no blending
• Natural colour and non-chill filtration

The whisky was bottled at 58.6% ABV (116+ proof) directly from the cask, preserving the full texture and aromatic intensity of the spirit..

Tasting Profile

Nose:
Dark raisins, dried cherries, cocoa, coastal peat smoke, sea salt, and toasted walnut.

Palate:
Full-bodied and powerful with layers of sherry-soaked fruit, molasses, smoked meat, dark chocolate, and spice balanced by maritime minerality.

Finish:
Long and warming with lingering smoke, dried fruit sweetness, oak spice, and salty coastal notes.

Sherry-matured Ardnamurchan whiskies often show a distinctive balance of peat smoke and rich sherry character, with notes ranging from dried fruit and chocolate to coastal salinity and smoke.

Quick Overview

Cocktail Recipes

Sherried Smoky Old Fashioned

Ingredients

• 2 oz Ardnamurchan Single Cask #1520
• ¼ oz demerara syrup
• 2 dashes chocolate bitters
• Orange peel

Preparation
Stir whisky, syrup, and bitters with ice until chilled. Strain over a large ice cube and garnish with expressed orange peel.

Highland Smoke Highball

Ingredients

• 2 oz Ardnamurchan Single Cask #1520
• 3 oz chilled soda water
• Lemon twist

Preparation
Build in a highball glass over ice. Add whisky, top with soda water, stir gently, and garnish with a lemon twist.