Ardnahoe Distillery
About the distillery
Ardnahoe is located by Loch Ardnahoe on the north-eastern side of Islay, and was created as the island’s ninth distillery. It is a young, active whisky distillery with a clear focus on peated single malt, slow distillation, and classic Islay characteristics such as worm tubs and maritime smoke. The combination of modern equipment, local spring water, and traditional choices gives the house a distinct identity from the very first sip.
History
The story begins in 2013, when Stewart Laing—together with his sons Andrew and Scott—formed Hunter Laing & Co. Ltd. in Glasgow as a blender and bottler of Scotch whisky. The family already had several decades of experience in the industry, and the ambition to create their own whisky had long been present. With a particular fondness for Islay, they found in 2015 the four-acre plot of land at Loch Ardnahoe on the island’s north-eastern side. After purchasing the land and planning, the ground was broken in late 2016, and the distillery became Islay’s ninth. The first distillation runs started in October 2018, and cask number 001 was filled on 9 November of the same year. Stewart Hunter Laing, whose vision and commitment helped shape the distillery from idea to reality, left a clear mark on the project.
Raw materials and production
Ardnahoe uses water from Loch Ardnahoe, located close to the distillery, described as very soft after being filtered through peat and stone for thousands of years. The barley is malted, dried over peat smoke for around 20 hours, and then milled into grist in the more than 100-year-old Vickers Boby mill, the only piece of equipment that is not new. The mash is made in a copper-clad mash tun, where the loch water is heated and mixed with the grist to create a clear, sweet and smoky wort. Fermentation takes place in four traditional Oregon Pine washbacks, and the total fermentation time is around 65–70 hours. Distillation is carried out in two relatively large copper pot stills with long, downward-sloping lyne arms, providing high copper contact. After the stills, worm tub condensation is used, which is unusual on Islay and gives the spirit more texture and complexity. The process is deliberately slow and gentle, with an emphasis on quality over quantity.
Maturation and cask types
The distillery works especially with bourbon and sherry casks. The bourbon casks come directly from the USA and are made from American White Oak, adding toffee, honey, and vanilla. The Oloroso sherry casks come from Jerez and are made from European Oak; they are described as sources of deep layers of red fruits, brown sugar, and spice. The product pages also show the use of first-fill bourbon barrels, sherry hogsheads, bourbon barrels, ex-Oloroso sherry casks, as well as quarter casks with Oloroso, PX, and bourbon. Several releases are bottled without artificial colour and without chill filtration, and some are bottled at natural cask strength.
Whiskies
The core range consists of Ardnahoe Bholsa and Infinite Loch, both of which show the distillery’s peated Islay profile—respectively in a more sherry-driven direction and in a more balanced bourbon/sherry direction. In addition, there is the Cask Strength series, bottled at natural strength from first-fill bourbon barrels. Alongside these are limited releases such as Chairman’s Selection, Manager’s Selection, Skerryvore XX, and the two Ardnahoe Society bottlings, each placing emphasis on specific casks, higher strength, and a more gathering-oriented expression. Inaugural Release marks the distillery’s first single malt and shows the early style with both bourbon and Oloroso sherry in play.
| Whisky | Type / series | Alcohol | Age | Cask and style | Flavour profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bholsa | Single Malt Scotch Whisky | 50 % | Oloroso sherry cask; smoked/peated | Ardnahoe Bholsa is matured predominantly in Oloroso sherry casks and bottled without artificial colour and without chill filtration.; Nose: Red fruits, walnuts, orange zest and peat smoke.; Taste: Raisins, dates and ripe plums underpinned by Islay peat.; Finish: Long, peppery finish. | Current; Core range; Sold out | |
| Infinite Loch | Single Malt Scotch Whisky | 50 % | Ex-bourbon cask and Ex-Oloroso sherry cask; smoked/peated | Matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks and bottled without artificial colour and without chill filtration.; Nose: Sea-spray, Islay peat and dark chocolate.; Taste: Menthol, fresh fruits and bonfire notes.; Finish: Smoky, zesty finish. | Current; Core range; Sold out | |
| Cask Strength Batch 1 | Single Malt Scotch Whisky | 60.9 % | 5 years | First-fill bourbon barrel; smoked/peated | Ardnahoe Cask Strength Batch 1 is made exclusively from spirit matured in first-fill bourbon barrels and bottled at natural cask strength without artificial colour and without chill filtration.; Nose: Coastal brine, earthy peat and rich cocoa.; Taste: Orchard fruits, herbal tea and salted caramel.; Finish: Smoky finish with citrus undertones. | Current; Core range; Sold out |
| Cask Strength Batch 2 | Single Malt Scotch Whisky | 61 % | 5 years | First-fill bourbon barrel; smoked/peated | Second batch of Ardnahoe Cask Strength, matured in first-fill bourbon barrels and bottled at natural cask strength without artificial colour and without chill filtration.; Nose: Coastal brine, earthy peat and rich cocoa.; Taste: Orchard fruits, herbal tea and salted caramel.; Finish: Smoky finish with citrus undertones. | Current; Core range; Sold out |
| Chairman's Selection | Single Malt Scotch Whisky | 60.2 % | 6 years | Sherry cask and Bourbon cask; smoked/peated | A limited edition bottling compiled according to the specifications from Stewart Laing and matured in selected sherry and bourbon casks.; Nose: Peat smoke, coastal salt and rich cacao.; Taste: Earthy, smouldering intensity with lemon curd, honeyed malt and stewed plums.; Finish: Long and drying with ashy peat embers, cracked black pepper and salted toffee. | Limited; Sold out online - available to buy at the distillery shop on Islay |
| Infinite Loch | Single Malt Scotch Whisky | 50 % | Ex-bourbon cask and Ex-Oloroso sherry cask; smoked/peated | Matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks and bottled without artificial colour and without chill filtration.; Nose: Sea-spray, Islay peat and dark chocolate.; Taste: Menthol, fresh fruits and bonfire notes.; Finish: Smoky, zesty finish. | Current; Core range; Sold out | |
| Manager's Selection | Single Malt Scotch Whisky | 58.4 % | 6 years | First-fill bourbon barrel; smoked/peated | A single cask bottling selected by the distillery manager David Livingstone and bottled in 232 individually numbered bottles.; Nose: Barley, freshly cut grass and candied almonds.; Taste: Charred caramel, dry oak and lemon.; Finish: Long and smooth with gentle, sweet smoke. | Limited; Sold out; 232 bottles |
| Skerryvore XX | Single Malt Scotch Whisky | 50 % | 5 years | Oloroso sherry hogshead, PX sherry quarter cask, Bourbon barrel and Refill bourbon barrel; smoked/peated | A 2,000-bottle release created together with Skerryvore for the band’s 20th anniversary and sold only from the distillery and online.; Nose: Candied almonds, fresh barley and salted caramel.; Taste: Mango, pineapple, smoked bacon and sea spray.; Finish: Long and satisfying with white pepper and sweet spice. | Limited; Sold out; 2000 bottles |
| Small Batch - MV Isle of Islay | Single Malt Scotch Whisky | 50 % | 6 years | Sherry hogshead and Bourbon barrel; smoked/peated | A limited-edition small batch bottling in honour of MV Isle of Islay, matured in sherry hogsheads and bourbon barrels and bottled without artificial colour and without chill filtration. | Limited; Sold out |
| The Ardnahoe Inaugural Release | Single Malt Scotch Whisky | 50 % | Ex-bourbon cask and Ex-Oloroso sherry cask; smoked/peated | The distillery’s first single malt, matured in ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks and bottled without artificial colour and without chill filtration.; Nose: Shortbread, baked apples and Islay peat smoke.; Taste: Custard, ginger, lemon zest and baked apples.; Finish: Long, smoky finish. | Historic; Sold out. |
Style and flavour profile of the whiskies
Ardnahoe revolves around a clear combination of maritime notes, peat smoke, and fruit. In the glass, it ranges from sea-spray, coastal salt and coastal brine to darker notes of dark chocolate, rich cacao, and bonfire notes. The fruit side ranges from baked apples and orchard fruits to red fruits, mango, pineapple, and ripe plums, while several releases also show malt, honeyed malt, candied almonds, salted caramel, and a peppery, smoky finish.
Visit the distillery
The distillery is open to visitors with guided tours and tastings, and there is a Spirit of Ardnahoe Tour through the mash house, tun room, still house, and worm tubs. The standard times for the free Society tour are Wednesday at 10:30 and Friday at 14:00, and booking is done in advance. For larger groups, enquiries are handled separately. The visitor facilities include a shop, reception, and toilets, and there is step-free access at the main entrance, parking available at the entrance, and assistance available from staff. However, the area around the worm tubs is not suitable for prams or wheelchairs.
The stated opening hours are Complimentary tour booked with the desired date; the normal tour times are Wednesday at 10:30 and Friday at 14:00. The facilities also describe opening hours, but no specific general opening hours are provided in the text delivered.
Philosophy and craftsmanship
Ardnahoe works from a clear choice to prioritize quality over quantity and flavour over time. This is evident in the slow, gentle distillation, the high copper contact, and the use of worm tub condensation to give the spirit extra texture and complexity. At the same time, the local area plays a role, as draff from the mashing is delivered to farmers as animal feed.
Sustainability
Draff from the mashing is delivered to local farmers as cattle feed.