Planning permission has been granted for Ardgowan’s proposed site in Inverkip, on the banks of the River Clyde about 30 miles west of Glasgow, with construction set to begin in 2020. So in all honesty how can this be called a distillery release when said distillery HAS NOT BEEN BUILT! Nor even started! Max McFarlane, whisky maker for the yet-to-be-constructed distillery, said: “In our first release I wanted to produce a top-drawer blended malt and I believe that is what we have achieved. All the single malts going in are from first-fill Sherry casks, which is unique in the industry – it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.’” EH? Distilleries cannot launch a dram if the distillery does not exist, a blend at that. Coppersmith comprises whiskies sourced from unnamed Speyside and highland distilleries, all aged in first-fill Oloroso sherry casks, before being bottled at 48% abv. The whisky will be available in specialist retailers worldwide from 1 October and can be pre-ordered on the Ardgowan Distillery website, website before distillery … is this actually legal? McFarlane said the yet to be announced second entry in the Clydebuilt series will also consist of first fill sherry cask malts but sourced from different distilleries. Ardgowan’s first bottling, released earlier this year, was a 20 year old blended malt containing whisky that has visited the South Pole.
This “distillery release” is highland and Speyside by the way, NOT EVEN LOWLAND WHERE IT WILL BE BUILT!!! The Ardgowan Distillery will be sited on Ardgowan Estate, owned by Sir Ludovic ‘Ludo’ Shaw-Stewart, and which has historical ties to Robert the Bruce, who fought in the area twice, and Pocahontas – Michael Shaw Stewart, fifth Baronet of Ardgowan Estate married Eliza Farquhar in 1819, who was a direct descendant of the native American princess. Oh my God, will we be seeing the first Pocahontas whiskies? What are your thoughts on this? Should this be renamed Shipbuilders Shoulder? This makes a mockery out of whisky awards; The Ardgowan Distillery’s very first whisky “Expedition” has been awarded a gold medal in in the 2019 Scottish Whisky Awards. The 20-year-old premium blended malt won the Blended Malt 12 year and over category at the prestigious awards held in Edinburgh. I ASK AGAIN – HOW CAN A DISTILLERY WIN AN AWARD WHEN THERE IS no DISTILLERY? AND IT IS not THEIR OWN WHISKY! The exclusive dram – which was created specially by Ardgowan Chairman Willie Phillips – was ranked against its’ peers in a number of categories. Ardgowan Expedition 20 year old is a blended malt which includes classic single casks from upper Speyside and the northern highlands. The 600 bottle run also contains whisky which has travelled to the South Pole and back, carried by polar explorer Robert Swan OBE. By the way, this not April 1st. Is it me? Or are you in agreement? Come on SWA, make a ruling here.