One of Scotland’s newest distilleries is celebrating after pre-orders for its first batch of mature spirit exceeded the number of bottles produced.
Independent bottler and distiller Adelphi produced 2,500 bottles of Ardnamurchan Spirit 2016 AD, but says it has received orders for three times as many, despite the spirit being too young to be called whisky.
Alex Bruce, managing director of Adelphi and the Ardnamurchan Distillery, said: “Prior to a launch we contacted our UK and international agents and distributors to gauge interest and take pre-orders.
“While it’s not unusual for there to be a healthy amount of interest in our whisky, the demand for our new Ardnamurchan Spirit was exceptionally high. We’ve produced 2,500 bottles but we could have easily sold three times that amount. Pre-orders were 7,500 at the last count.”
The spirit is the first to be released from Ardnamurchan Distillery, which was opened in July 2014.
Mr Bruce said the release of the spirit signalled a new phase in the company’s history.
“Approaching our 25th year of bottling the finest that Scotland can offer, we are delighted to be playing our part in this golden era for the industry, ” he said.
“To be able to establish, and be part of, a brand-new distillery is something our dedicated team are extremely proud of.”
“Founded on absolute transparency and traceability, our careful production and maturation techniques have allowed us to capture and bottle this unique flavour profile well ahead of our original plan.”
Adelphi worked with Edinburgh-based agency Nevis Design to create a bespoke bottle coated in slate grey to resemble the volcanic past of the Ardnamurchan peninsula, with a hydrometer-shaped window to highlight the natural colour of the spirit.