Ardbeg

Region of production:	Islay
Distillery Location:	Port Ellen, Argyll and Bute
Year Established:	1815

Top Spirits Produced

• Core Range:
  • 10 Years Old, An Oa, Uigeadail, Corryvreckan
• Limited Releases:
  • Current:
    • Ardbeg Grooves Limited Edition: A more mild, mellow offering than the traditional Ardbeg flavor profile.
    • Dark Cove, 21 Years Old, Kelpie, Twenty Something
  • Previous:
    • Airigh Nam Beist, Alligator, Ardbog, Auriverdes, Blasda, Day, Galileo, Kildalton, Lord of the Isles, Perpetuum, Renaissance, Rollercoaster, Serendipity, Supernova, 1965

Average Total Production

• 1.4 million liters neutral spirit before aging

Summary

Evidence of distillation at Ardbeg dates to 1794, but the distillery was legally founded by John McDougall in 1815. In 1887, Ardbeg was recorded as the most productive distillery on the island of Islay, with annual output of 1.1 million liters. But the company struggled during the century that followed, changing hands and experiencing closures during the Great Depression and from 1981 until 1989. It wasn’t until 1997 that the distillery was purchased by Glenmorangie, who reopened it with a new visitor center and relaunched the brand, including a redesign. Ardbeg has since recovered its earlier success, becoming one of the most popular Islay spirits.

Style & Distillation Techniques

Ardbeg is the most peated of all Islay whiskies. The barley is peated to 50 ppm in Port Ellen and then ground into grist by Ardbeg’s rare Boby malt mill. Due to the higher phenolic content of the malt, fermentation takes longer than is typical. Fermentation takes place in washbacks made of Oregon pine that are credited with adding an ester character to the final product. The spirits are aged in first- and second-fill Bourbon casks, Sherry butts, French oak, and barrels from cooperages in Speyside and Craigellachie.

Producer Website: Ardbeg