Drinkers curious about a newer Islay distillery's house style, or who enjoy a young, powerful, drier register of peat smoke rather than a heavier, oilier one. Less suited to those chasing the heaviest possible peat character, or looking for the best value-for-money entry point into Islay malt.
Quick Verdict
Ardnahoe Infinite Loch is a youthful but impressively composed Islay single malt, combining dry, smokehouse-style peat with herbs, citrus and brine, and enough oily weight and 50% ABV presence to feel substantial rather than raw. It performs especially well neat and on the rocks, and holds up nicely as a highball, though it loses richness once diluted with water. In the US, where it's commonly found around $60, it's an easy recommendation for the quality on offer; in markets where it's priced significantly higher, that case weakens.
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Bottle Information
Ardnahoe Infinite Loch is the first core-range release from Ardnahoe Distillery, an Islay distillery founded by Hunter Laing at Loch Ardnahoe on the island's northeast coast — ground was broken in late 2016, with first distillation in October 2018. Infinite Loch followed the distillery's one-off Inaugural Release and became its standing core expression. It's a no-age-statement vatting of young malt, matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks, bottled at 50% ABV, non-chill-filtered and without added colouring. Official tasting notes describe sea-spray, Islay peat and dark chocolate on the nose, with menthol, fresh fruit and bonfire notes on the palate leading into a smoky, zesty finish.
Whisky Specs
Country
Scotland
Region
Islay
Distillery
Ardnahoe
Brand
Ardnahoe
Category
Single Malt
Age
No age statement
ABV
50% ABV
Cask
Matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks
Volume
700ml (70cl)
Chill filtered
No
Natural colour
Yes
Value
Excellent
Tasting Review
Ardnahoe Infinite Loch is the first core-range release from Ardnahoe Distillery, an Islay distillery founded by Hunter Laing at Loch Ardnahoe on the island’s northeast coast, with first distillation in October 2018. It’s a no-age-statement young malt, matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks, bottled at 50% ABV.
Tasted neat, that youth shows up as real, intense peat smoke — but in a drier, smokehouse-style register rather than a heavy, oily peat bomb, closer in spirit to the composed style of Caol Ila 12 Year Old than to the heavier intensity of Ardbeg 10 Year Old or Laphroaig 10 Year Old. Like Kilchoman Machir Bay, it’s a no-age-statement release from a newer Islay distillery, though the two land on genuinely different styles once you taste them.
Tasting Notes
Nose
A touch of alcohol heat up front, settling into a fresh, crisp lift alongside the smoke — vanilla, malt, herbs and orange sit over sea brine and a powerful, smokehouse-like smoke.
Palate
Oily on the palate, with more alcohol warmth and a strong hit of spice and brine. Vanilla, malt, kiwi and lemon run alongside herbs and that same powerful, smokehouse-style smoke.
Finish
Dry, with spice and smoke carrying on for a long finish.
Flavor Profile
Sweetness2 / 5
Fruit3 / 5
Spice3 / 5
Oak2 / 5
Smoke / Peat4 / 5
Body3 / 5
+ Pros
Powerful, dry peat smoke stays balanced and drinkable, with herbal, citrus and maritime notes adding definition rather than weight.
Performs especially well on the rocks, where its 50% ABV, oily texture and smoky-spicy character retain plenty of presence.
− Cons
No major weaknesses stood out in the neat tasting.
Final Verdict
Ardnahoe Infinite Loch is a genuinely impressive whisky for something this young — real, intense peat smoke runs through the nose, palate and finish, but it comes in a drier, smokehouse-style register rather than a heavy, oily peat bomb, and the balance holds up well despite how much character is packed into the glass. The sherry cask used in maturation is present but subtle, without dominating the profile.
There's no meaningful liquid-level weakness in the neat pour — Kaz's own tasting turned up no complaints about the whisky itself at full strength. The one genuine caveat is preference rather than the liquid: drinkers who specifically want the heaviest, most syrupy peat character may find this drier style a mismatch.
Kaz — a self-described fan of Caol Ila — found the drinking experience here "not too far off" from Caol Ila 12, closer to that more composed, drier style of Islay peat than to the heavier intensity of Ardbeg 10 or Laphroaig 10.
Serve behavior is uneven: it's a genuine standout neat and on the rocks, where the oily texture, 50% ABV and smoky-spicy character retain plenty of presence, but it loses richness and body once diluted with water, whether as a twice-up pour or a mizuwari. The highball is a solid, pleasant performer, if not quite as distinctive as the rocks serve.
Value here is genuinely market-dependent. In the US, where it's commonly found around $60, Infinite Loch offers excellent value for a powerful, distinctive Islay single malt at 50% ABV — a strong case given the quality of the liquid. In markets where it carries a substantially higher price tag, that value proposition weakens considerably.
Other Ways to Drink It
Dram Verdict's core Nose, Palate, Finish and Score above are tasted neat. These are Kaz's notes on other ways he's actually tried this bottle.
With Water
Fair
Body falls away and much of what makes it work gets lost — a smaller splash of water brings out more fruit and acidity for a crisper, lighter pour, but at a real cost to richness.
On the Rocks
Excellent
A genuine standout — powerful smoke and spice carry a gentle sweetness, with a herbal, refreshing edge, and the body holds up well over time rather than falling apart as it dilutes.
Highball
Very Good
Fresh and easy to drink, with a pleasant hint of brine — tasty, but not distinctive enough on its own to be a strong reason to pick this bottle specifically for a highball.
Islay is Scotland’s most famous whisky island, and its reputation is built almost entirely on peat smoke. That reputation is earned, but…
About the author
KazBartender & Whisky Reviewer
Kaz is a chief bartender in Japan, with eight years behind the bar and six years reviewing whisky on Whisktender, his Japanese-language whisky site. Every Dram Verdict score and every personal tasting note comes from a whisky he has tasted himself, with one question always in mind: is this bottle worth buying?
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