Ardgowan Distillery

About the distillery

Ardgowan Distillery is located at Bankfoot Farm in Inverkip in Scotland, and is a modern Scottish whisky distillery with a clear focus on sherry casks. The name is closely linked to Infinity Cask, which the distillery highlights as its signature, while the Clydebuilt series already shows the direction of the house style. Here, it’s not only the upcoming single malt that’s interesting, but also the way the distillery works with cask selection, maturation, and precise bottlings.

History

The material associates Ardgowan Distillery with a clearly contemporary whisky narrative rather than a long historical chronology. The distillery describes itself as the home of Infinity Cask and at the same time sets course toward carbon neutrality. The official opening took place on 20 June 2025, and for that occasion Clydebuilt 12yo Official Opening 2025 was bottled as a special limited edition. At the same time, the distillery emphasizes that Ardgowan Single Malt is still maturing, while the Clydebuilt series is already established as an award-winning whisky trail. In the specific product texts, Laura Davies appears as Whisky Maker and as the person who gathers and oversees the development of several of the bottlings that have matured on-site in Inverkip. This gives Ardgowan a story about a distillery building its identity through cask work, monitoring maturation, and a gradual path toward its own single malt.

Raw materials and production

The documented production picture revolves especially around cask work. Ardgowan highlights its Infinity Cask as a distinctive feature, and in the Clydebuilt series it’s clear that wood policy is a central part of the house. Several releases have matured on-site, so Whisky Maker Laura Davies has been able to follow the development closely. The series ranges from sherry butts and sherry hogsheads to PX- and Oloroso-hogsheads as well as bourbon hogsheads and bourbon barrels. The material also states that some single casks are hand-selected and assembled on-site, and that some releases are made up of spirit from multiple distilleries. This creates an image of a house where maturation and blending are just as important as the spirit base itself. No details are provided about malting, mashing, fermentation, stills, or the water source, so the distillery’s technical process can only be described through what is specifically shown in the cask and bottling work.

Maturation and cask types

Maturation is clearly sherry-oriented. Ardgowan works with sherry butts, PX- and Oloroso-hogsheads, sherry hogsheads and sherry butts, and several of the whiskies are matured fully or partially on-site. PX provides the most intense, sweet, and dark profiles, while Oloroso contributes nuts, spice, and deeper fruit notes. The Manzanilla cask adds a lighter, more coastal and fresh side with salinity and delicate citrus notes. Bourbon casks and hogsheads are used for lighter expressions with vanilla, fudge, citrus, and a more fruit-forward elegance. The overall impression is of a distillery that uses cask types intentionally to shape style and depth rather than to hide the spirit.

Whiskies

Clydebuilt is the central whisky line, while Ardgowan Single Malt is still maturing. The series includes both a blended single malt bottling, Clydebuilt Coppersmith, and a range of 12-year-old and single-cask releases that show the range in the distillery’s work. The lineup moves from dark, sherry-influenced expressions with fig, raisins, toffee, and spice to lighter bourbon-matured whiskies with citrus, apple, vanilla, and tropical fruits. This makes the series well suited as an entry point to the house style: rich, cask-driven, and with a clear interest in both sherry and bourbon as maturation paths.

Whisky	Type / series	Alcohol	Age	Cask and style	Tasting profile	Status
Clydebuilt Coppersmith	Scotch Whisky	48 %		First-fill Oloroso Sherry casks	First bottling in the award-winning Clydebuilt series, built around single malt from four Highland and Speyside distilleries and matured on first-fill Oloroso sherry casks.; Nose: Heather honey, sultanas, and a hint of sweet spice.; Taste: Butterscotch and very dark chocolate with sultanas.; Finish: Long and persistent with dried fruit, walnuts, tobacco, and autumnal aromas.	Current; Core range
Clydebuilt 12yo Sherry Cask Matured	Single Malt Scotch Whisky	46 %	12 years	Sherry wood	The distillery’s first Clydebuilt sherry cask bottling, composed to reflect the house style and focus on wood policy.; Nose: Raisins, figs, and polished oak.; Taste: Dark fruits and spices.; Finish: Long and rounded with persistent depth.	Current; Core range
Clydebuilt 12yo Sherry Cask Matured 100 Proof	Single Malt Scotch Whisky	57.1 %	12 years	Sherry butts, PX hogsheads, Oloroso hogsheads	A stronger version of the original 12-year-old sherry release, bottled at 100 proof.; Nose: Raisins, dates, toasted nuts and spice.; Taste: Dried fruits, dark chocolate and leather.; Finish: Long and warming with layered spice and oak.	Current
Clydebuilt 12yo Official Opening 2025	Single Malt Scotch Whisky	59.5 %	12 years	Three sherry hogsheads	Limited edition bottled to mark the distillery’s official opening in 2025.; Nose: Dried fruits, toasted nuts and rich Sherry sweetness.; Taste: Bold and warming with fig, raisin and spice.; Finish: Indulgent with lingering oak and fruitcake notes.	Current
Clydebuilt 2005 Cameronbridge Bourbon Hogshead Single Cask	Single Grain Scotch Whisky	54.3 %		Bourbon hogshead	Single grain from Cameronbridge, bottled as a limited edition of 272 bottles.; Nose: Buttered popcorn.; Taste: A thick, syrupy mouthfeel with silky heather honey.; Finish: Satisfying, with a hint of warm peach cobbler drizzled with cream.	Limited; 272 bottles
Clydebuilt 2009 Fettercairn Bourbon Hogshead Single Cask	Single Malt Scotch Whisky	56.3 %		Bourbon hogshead	Single cask bottling of 272 bottles from Fettercairn, matured on-site at Ardgowan.; Nose: Lemon sorbet and vanilla fudge.; Taste: Silky toffee apples and citrus zest.; Finish: Lingering, with a clear apple pie quality.	Limited; 272 bottles
Clydebuilt 2012 Benriach Bourbon Hogshead Single Cask	Single Malt Scotch Whisky	56 %		Bourbon hogshead	Single cask bottling of 226 bottles from Benriach, matured on-site at Ardgowan.; Nose: Tropical fruit pavlova.; Taste: Buttercream icing, retro boiled sweets and fruit salad.; Finish: Lingering notes of pineapple and mango.	Limited; 226 bottles
Clydebuilt 2012 Glen Garioch Bourbon Barrel Single Cask	Single Malt Scotch Whisky	57.2 %		Bourbon barrel	Single cask bottling of 237 bottles from Glen Garioch, matured on-site at Ardgowan.; Nose: Marzipan and brown sugar.; Taste: Mixed nuts, vanilla fudge and chewy raisins.; Finish: Long with a hazelnut praline character.	Limited; 237 bottles
Clydebuilt 2012 Manzanilla Hogshead Single Cask	Single Malt Scotch Whisky			Manzanilla hogshead	Single cask of 335 bottles matured in a Manzanilla hogshead from coastal warehouses in Sanlúcar de Barrameda.; Nose: Crisp green apple, floral notes and toasted almonds.; Taste: Zesty citrus with a gentle nuttiness.; Finish: Fresh and delicate.	Limited; 335 bottles
Clydebuilt 2012 Oloroso Hogshead Single Cask	Single Malt Scotch Whisky	59 %		Oloroso hogshead	Single cask of 342 bottles matured in an Oloroso hogshead.; Nose: Dark fruits and warming spice.; Taste: Rich dried figs, dark chocolate and gentle oak.; Finish: Long and lingering, with nutmeg and toasted wood.	Limited; 342 bottles
Clydebuilt 2012 PX Hogshead Single Cask	Single Malt Scotch Whisky	58.5 %		PX hogshead	Single cask of 352 bottles matured in a PX hogshead.; Nose: Ripe figs, sticky dates and rich caramel.; Taste: Velvety toffee, dark chocolate and espresso.; Finish: Long, sweet and luxuriously soft.	Limited; 352 bottles
Clydebuilt 2012 Royal Brackla Bourbon Hogshead Single Cask	Single Malt Scotch Whisky	52.9 %		Bourbon hogshead	Single cask of 290 bottles from Royal Brackla, matured on-site at Ardgowan.; Nose: Ripe peaches, nutmeg and subtle heather.; Taste: Lemongrass, green apple and vanilla pods.; Finish: Long with orchard fruit character.	Limited; 290 bottles
Clydebuilt 2013 Aberlour Bourbon Barrel Single Cask	Single Malt Scotch Whisky	58.1 %		Bourbon barrel	Single cask of 192 bottles from Aberlour, matured on-site at Ardgowan.; Nose: Clean and inviting, with buttery fudge aroma.; Taste: Whipped cream and sherbet fruits boiled sweets.; Finish: More sweetness with fresh vanilla pods.	Limited; 192 bottles
Clydebuilt 2014 Ben Nevis Sherry Butt Single Cask	Single Malt Scotch Whisky	60 %		Sherry butt	Single cask of 327 bottles from Ben Nevis, matured on-site at Ardgowan.; Nose: Cinnamon stewed pears.; Taste: Butterscotch sauce and freshly grated nutmeg.; Finish: More sweet spices alongside brown sugar.	Limited; 327 bottles
Clydebuilt 2015 Aultmore Sherry Hogshead Single Cask	Single Malt Scotch Whisky	56.6 %		Sherry hogshead	Single cask of 305 bottles from Aultmore, matured on-site at Ardgowan.; Nose: Ripe figs and cinnamon sticks.; Taste: Fruit scones with raspberry jam and clotted cream.; Finish: Subtle notes of fruit cake and more sweet spice.	Limited; 305 bottles
Clydebuilt 2015 Linkwood Sherry Hogshead Single Cask	Single Malt Scotch Whisky	56.3 %		Sherry hogshead; smoked/peaty	Single cask of 332 bottles from Linkwood, matured on-site at Ardgowan.; Nose: Grassy aromas, alongside light peat.; Taste: Creamy toffee and gooseberry jam.; Finish: More sweet flavours, with a butterscotch quality.	Limited; 332 bottles

Whisky style and tasting profile

The consistent style in the documented bottlings is rich and cask-driven. The sherry expressions deliver dried fruit, raisins, figs, dates, and dark chocolate, often accompanied by nuts, tobacco, and warm spice. Bourbon-matured expressions lean more toward vanilla, fudge, citrus, apple, and golden fruit, while some bottlings also show tropical fruit, butterscotch, and honey sweetness. Across the series there is persistent sweetness and a clear wood structure that binds the expressions together.

Visit the distillery

Ardgowan welcomes visitors at the distillery in Inverkip. There is a distillery shop, and guests can book a tour where they learn about the distillery’s special processes and taste three whiskies. The visit is therefore both an introduction to the house and a concrete tasting experience. Booking is part of the visit, and the material clearly indicates that the tour is the primary public experience on-site.
See times and book a visit.

Philosophy and craftsmanship

Ardgowan works with a clear identity around Infinity Cask and with a declared goal of carbon neutrality. Wood policy features heavily in the whisky releases, and the house places emphasis on closely following cask development. Laura Davies is central as Whisky Maker in the specific bottlings, where she gathers the spirit, monitors maturation, and finishes the whiskies on-site. This creates a philosophy in which precise cask management and long-term building of its own style are more important than quick results.

Sustainability

Sights are set on carbon neutrality.

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