Celtic rock band Skerryvore have partnered with Ardnahoe Distillery on Islay to release Skerryvore XX, a special 5-year-old single malt created to celebrate the band’s 20th anniversary. Just 2,000 bottles will be available when it launches on 9 October.
The band, who became Ardnahoe’s global ambassadors last year, worked directly with the distillery team to develop the whisky. Each member selected a cask, resulting in a vatting of eight casks drawn from ex-bourbon and ex-sherry wood.
David Livingstone, Distillery Manager at Ardnahoe, said: “It was a real pleasure welcoming the band and involving them directly in the whisky-making process. Each member chose a favourite cask, and together these selections have created a whisky that truly reflects Skerryvore’s unique character and spirit.”
Drummer Fraser West added, “The whisky style ranges from more robust, powerful flavours, to sweeter, melodic smoothness. Our music has developed over the years to encapsulate so many styles, yet sound uniquely like Skerryvore, this whisky does the same and is a great representation of the band.”
Bassist Jodie Bremaneson said the project went far beyond putting a name on a label. “We started by spending an enjoyable afternoon tasting over 30 different casks, learning so much from the Ardnahoe team about how the distillation and maturing process influences flavour. Each band member then chose the cask that spoke to their own taste and personality, and these eight came together to create our unique whisky.
“A few months on, we visited the bottling hall to see the first bottles filled and even had the thrill of switching on the production line ourselves. We hope those personal touches shine through when people raise a glass of Skerryvore XX.”
As part of their partnership with Ardnahoe, the band have hosted Whisky Sessions events on their US tour – intimate evenings of music, stories and whisky tasting. The tour continues across the UK and Europe this winter.
Ardnahoe Distillery, founded by the Laing family, opened in 2019 as the ninth distillery on Islay. Its first whisky, the Inaugural Release, launched in May 2024 and has been followed by bottlings including Bholsa, Infinite Loch and the Manager’s Selection.