New from the Isle of Islay: The "Càraid Ìleach" sherry duo from Ardnahoe

The Ardnahoe distillery presents something special in collaboration with Hanseatische Weinhandelsgesellschaft: "Càraid Ìleach", two single malt whiskies that are only available on the German market. Both can currently be found here in the Whisky.de online shop.

The name is Scottish Gaelic (pronounced Car - ich Ee - luch, according to the distributor) and simply means "the Islay pair". Behind this name are two strictly limited bottlings that represent an absolute rarity on the whisky market: 100% sherry quarter cask full maturations. While quarter casks are usually only used for a short finish, these two editions were matured for their entire time in the small casks, which enable an intensive exchange between the distillate and the wood. The result is a profound aromatic interplay of the characteristic Islay peat smoke and an enormous sherry intensity.

The casks were selected last spring by the owners of the distillery, Andrew and Scott Laing, which was founded in 2018, and experts from Hanseatische Weinhandelsgesellschaft. They opted for an Oloroso sherry cask and a PX sherry cask. The Islay Single Malt Whisky was bottled without chill-filtering and in natural colour at 50% vol.

This bottling from former Oloroso sherry casks is characterised by its spicy depth. The nose reveals rich cocoa, orange peel and dark cherries, accompanied by campfire ash. Roasted walnuts, spicy fruitcake and nutmeg unfold on the palate, followed by a finish with notes of leather and peat. This edition is limited to 2,510 bottles.

This is where the sweet world of Pedro Ximénez sherry meets maritime smoke. The aroma is reminiscent of raspberries, stewed plums and candied oranges. The flavour is dominated by sultanas, ripe figs and cinnamon, which fade into a long, warming finish with a fine veil of smoke. Only 2,613 bottles of this whisky are available.