Ardnamurchan Distillery: Whisky at the End of the Road

Overview

Ardnamurchan, on the wild and beautiful peninsula that ends at the most westerly point of the British mainland, is one of the most admired of the new Highland distilleries. Opened in 2014 by the independent bottler Adelphi, it runs on local renewable energy and makes both peated and unpeated single malt with an unusual commitment to provenance and transparency.

The history

Ardnamurchan was built in 2014 by Adelphi, reviving a distilling tradition on a peninsula that had none in living memory. Powered by river hydro and biomass, and tracing every cask’s ingredients, it quickly became a benchmark for the thoughtful new wave of Scotch.

The water & the land

Ardnamurchan draws on springs above the distillery, with the Glenmore River providing cooling and hydro power.

Ardnamurchan sits on the peninsula that was the country of Clan MacIain of Ardnamurchan, a branch of Clan Donald — a genuine tie to one of the more tragic west-Highland clan histories.

Visiting

Ardnamurchan has a visitor centre and runs guided tours — book ahead, hours seasonal; check the website. The single-track drive out along Loch Sunart to reach it is one of the great Highland journeys.

Nearby & more whisky

• On the neighbouring Morvern peninsula: Nc’nean
• The mainland gateway south: Oban
• The whole picture: Scotch whisky — the full guide

Sources

• Ardnamurchan distillery — Wikipedia.
• Adelphi Distillery.