Celtic rock band Skerryvore are marking their 20th anniversary with the launch of Skerryvore XX, a limited-edition single malt whisky created in partnership with Ardnahoe Distillery on Islay.
Formed in 2005 on the Isle of Tiree, Skerryvore have spent the last two decades touring the world and building a reputation for their unique blend of folk, trad, rock and pop. This year they kicked off their 20thanniversary year with a performance in front of 7,000 fans at Floors Castle before embarking on a tour across the UK, EU and USA.
The band became Ardnahoe’s global ambassadors last year and worked closely with the family-run whisky team to craft this commemorative bottling. Each band member selected a cask, resulting in a small batch vatting of eight casks in total.
The Skerryvore XX whisky – a 5-year-old single malt – will launch at 10am on 9 October. Only 2,000 bottles are available, sold exclusively via Ardnahoe’s online shop and at the distillery itself.
Matured in a mix of ex-bourbon casks and ex-sherry casks, the whisky is golden in colour, with aromas of candied almonds and salted caramel. On the palate, it shows tropical fruit alongside savoury coastal notes, with a gently spiced finish.
As part of their anniversary year, Skerryvore have also been hosting a series of Whisky Sessions events on their current US tour in partnership with Ardnahoe, combining stories, songs and whisky tastings for fans around the world. The band’s anniversary tour continues in the UK in November and December with dates across the UK and Europe.
Drummer Fraser West said: “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.”
The band’s bassist Jodie Bremaneson added: “It has been an amazing experience getting to be so hands-on alongside Ardnahoe to create our own 20th Anniversary celebration bottle. We started by spending an enjoyable afternoon tasting over 30 different casks learning so much from the Ardnahoe team as to how the distillation and maturing process influences the flavour profiles of the various whiskies that we sampled. Each band member then had the opportunity to choose the cask that spoke to their own taste and personality the most, and these eight casks came together to create our own unique whisky.
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“A few months on, we visited the bottling hall to see the very first bottles filled, and even had the thrill of switching on the production line ourselves. This project has been so much more than simply putting our name on a label, and we hope those personal touches shine through when people raise a glass of Skerryvore XX.”
David Livingstone, Distillery Manager at Ardnahoe Distillery, added: “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.”
Established by the Glasgow-based Laing family, Ardnahoe Distillery opened its doors in 2019, becoming the ninth distillery on Islay. Since releasing its first whisky, the Inaugural Release, in May 2024, Ardnahoe has gone on to launch four further bottlings, including Bholsa, Infinite Loch and the Manager’s Selection.
