Ardnamurchan Distillery: History, Owner, Range and Visitor Guide
Updated: 3 hours ago
Ardnamurchan is one of the remotest distilleries in Scotland, on the Ardnamurchan peninsula in Lochaber. It was built by the independent bottler Adelphi and powers itself largely from local renewable sources.
In this guide
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Ardnamurchan at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified detail |
|---|---|
Region | Highland, Scotland |
Ownership | Adelphi Distillery Ltd |
History | First distilling 2014 |
Whisky and production | Coastal Highland malt with transparency and sustainability |
Named expressions | Ardnamurchan AD Single Malt, Ardnamurchan AD Cask Strength |
Visits | Verify public access, current tours and opening times with the distillery before travelling. |
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Where is Ardnamurchan distillery?
On the Ardnamurchan peninsula of Lochaber in the Highlands. The name means headland of the great seas. Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, the most westerly point on the British mainland, has guided ships since 1849, and its coordinates appear on the labels.
Ardnamurchan history
Plans were submitted in 2011 and approved by the local council in April 2012. Construction began in 2013 and the distillery was completed in May 2014. Production began in 2014 and the first official whisky, meeting the three year statutory minimum, was released in 2017. Wikipedia says that by 2020 the distillery had filled over 10,000 casks.
ScotchWhisky.com notes that legal distilling was unknown on the peninsula until Adelphi opened its distillery in 2014, and that this was not the first distillery to carry the Adelphi name. The original was built in the Gorbals district of Glasgow in 1826, passed to Archibald Walker in 1880, was bought by DCL in 1903, stopped pot still production four years later and made grain until 1932. The site is now home to Glasgow's Central Mosque. Walker's great-grandson Jamie started Adelphi as an independent bottler in 1993, and its current owners bought the firm in 2004.
Who owns Ardnamurchan?
It was built and is owned by Adelphi, an independent bottling company. ScotchWhisky.com lists Adelphi Distillery as owner from 2013.
Energy and sustainability
ScotchWhisky.com says a hydro-electric generator in the river that also provides cooling water generates all the power the distillery needs, and a biomass boiler burning wood chips from a local forest provides all the hot water. Draff goes to local herds and pot ale goes to fields as fertiliser. Wikipedia adds that the boiler also heats the distillery floor maltings.
How it is made
The official site says it makes two types of spirit, peated to 30 PPM phenols and unpeated, and has distilled some heavily peated malt at 80 PPM that is still maturing. It matures in American and European oak, ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks, and also uses casks that held wine, Mezcal, Sauternes and Madeira.
How Ardnamurchan is made
Capacity: 0.3 to 0.5 million litres of pure alcohol a year
Mash tun: semi-lauter, grist of about two tonnes, with the malt supplied by Bairds using barley from Broomhall Farm
Washbacks: seven, four oak and three stainless steel, fermenting for 72 to 120 hours
Stills: two, with a 10,000 litre wash still and a 6,000 litre spirit still
Spirit: new make strength of 74 to 76%, filled into cask at 63.5%
Water: springs above the distillery, with the Glenmore River used for cooling
Ardnamurchan range
The official site lists AD Single Malt, Cask Strength Release, Single Cask, Sherry Cask Release and Maclean's Nose, a blended Scotch.
Visiting
ScotchWhisky.com lists visitor opening hours of 10am to 6pm from Tuesday to Saturday, with Sunday and Monday closed. Check the official website before travelling, as hours can change.
Official website
https://ardnamurchandistillery.com/
Sources
Cover image: Wikimedia Commons.
What makes Ardnamurchan distinctive?
Coastal Highland malt with transparency and sustainability
Ardnamurchan whisky bottle and expression comparison
Bottle / expression | Age | ABV | Documented producer expression |
|---|---|---|---|
Ardnamurchan AD Single Malt | Check label | Check label | Documented expression; batch and availability vary |
Ardnamurchan AD Cask Strength | Check label | Check label | Documented expression; batch and availability vary |
Ardnamurchan AD Sherry Cask Release | Check label | Check label | Documented expression; batch and availability vary |
Ardnamurchan AD 10 Year Old 2026 | Check label | Check label | Documented expression; batch and availability vary |
Ardnamurchan Heritage Barley Bourbon 2026 | Check label | Check label | Documented expression; batch and availability vary |
Ardnamurchan Heritage Barley Sherry 2026 | Check label | Check label | Documented expression; batch and availability vary |
Producer and release sources document these expressions. Historical bottles may be out of production or unavailable. Bottled sourced or blended whiskey is not always entirely distilled at this site.
This compares documented expressions, not live shop stock. Strength, age, casks and availability can vary by release; check the producer's bottle information.
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Frequently asked questions about Ardnamurchan
Where is Ardnamurchan?
On the Ardnamurchan peninsula in Lochaber.
Who owns it?
2014, with the first official whisky in 2017.
When did it open?
2014, with the first official whisky in 2017.
Is it peated?
Both peated and unpeated spirit are made. ScotchWhisky.com gives the peated malt as 30 ppm.
What does the name mean?
Headland of the great seas.
Sources and editorial checks
Original historical research and source notes are preserved in this guide. Producer details, distillery access and releases may change.
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Whisky producer and release source: https://ardnamurchandistillery.com/our-whiskies
About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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