Ardnamurchan AD/The Midgie 2026 Release Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700ml

The Midgie is Ardnamurchan’s tongue-in-cheek salute to Scotland’s most infamous creature, the Highland midge, the tiny biting fly that descends on the west coast every summer. It has become one of the independent Highland distillery’s most popular releases, a limited summer bottling that appears each year with a new blend and a new label, with earlier editions made in collaboration with Smidge, the UK’s top midge repellent. The 2026 edition is the third, and fewer than 9,000 bottles are available worldwide.

The 2026 blend combines 28% peated and 72% unpeated Ardnamurchan spirit, matured across ex-bourbon barrels (34%), tawny port barriques (17%), and ruby port barriques (49%). It’s bottled at 48% ABV, non-chill filtered, with natural colour. Ardnamurchan sits on the remote western coast of Scotland, and its whisky has quickly built a reputation for character and a strong sense of place. This year’s emphasis on port casks, especially ruby port, shows in the red fruit and berry notes, balanced by the gentle smokiness of the peated portion.

The distillery’s tasting notes describe a nose of “red raspberry, golden syrup, freshly cut cedar, crème de violette, home baked soft almond biscuits, preserved Moroccan lemons in salt brine, lightly smoked Christmas spiced ham.” The palate is “gentle cigar smoke, bramble, lemon thyme, pink peppercorn, piri piri spice, syrup of figs, plum clafoutis, nutmeg,” and the finish is “bitter orange, juicy, sea salt, persistently persistent.” Another description summarizes it as “complex aromas of raspberries, violet and citrus” meeting “a meaty smokiness,” leading to “red and dark fruits, hints of cigar smoke and peppercorn spice, with an undercurrent of peat smoke.” It’s a fruity, lightly smoky, salty, and playful Highland single malt that’s a good fit for customers who like port cask finishes, peat as a seasoning rather than a headline, and whisky with a sense of humor.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Ardnamurchan AD/The Midgie 2026 Release is produced at Ardnamurchan Distillery on the remote western coast of the Scottish Highlands. It is the third edition of the Midgie series, a vatting of 28% peated and 72% unpeated Ardnamurchan spirit, matured in ex-bourbon barrels (34%), ruby port barriques (49%), and tawny port barriques (17%). Bottled at 48% ABV, non-chill filtered, natural colour, 700ml. Fewer than 9,000 bottles worldwide.

Critics Reviews

No independent critic scores are published for this release.

Ardnamurchan (official tasting notes):
“Nose: Red raspberry, golden syrup, freshly cut cedar, crème de violette, home baked soft almond biscuits, preserved Moroccan lemons in salt brine, lightly smoked Christmas spiced ham. Palate: Gentle cigar smoke, bramble, lemon thyme, pink peppercorn, piri piri spice, syrup of figs, plum clafoutis, nutmeg. Finish: Bitter orange, juicy, sea salt, persistently persistent.”

Release description:
“Complex aromas of raspberries, violet and citrus meet with a meaty smokiness. This leads to notes of red and dark fruits, hints of cigar smoke and peppercorn spice, with an undercurrent of peat smoke.”

Tasting Profile

Nose
Red raspberry, golden syrup, cedar, and crème de violette, with almond biscuits, preserved lemon, and lightly smoked spiced ham.

Palate
Gentle cigar smoke, bramble, lemon thyme, and pink peppercorn, with piri piri spice, fig syrup, plum clafoutis, and nutmeg.

Finish
Bitter orange and juicy fruit, with sea salt and a lingering touch of peat smoke.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Charcuterie and cured ham
• Dark chocolate and red berry desserts
• Aged cheddar and blue cheese
• Plum or fig tarts

Serving Note

Enjoy neat, with a few drops of water to open the fruit and floral notes.