Ardeg Distillery Information

Ardbeg - The Ultimate Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky

Ardbeg Scotch Whisky Distillery was founded in 1815 and produces the range of Ardbeg Single Malts. If you would like to visits the Ardbeg Distillery Visitor Centre their address details are Ardbeg Distillery, Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, PA42 7EB and contact telephone number is +44 (0)1496 302244. You can read more about Ardeg Distillery at their website Click here to find out more information regarding this fine Scottish distillery.

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Where you can buy Ardbeg Malts

View the range of Ardbeg malts available to buy online at Ardbeg malts on Planet Whiskies

About Ardbeg Distillery

Ardbeg - The Ultimate Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky Ardbeg prides itself on being the ‘Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky’. Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by connoisseurs around the world as the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts widely available. Despite its smokiness, Ardbeg is renowned for its devilishly delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as ‘the peaty paradox’.

The Ardbeg Distillery lies on the south shore of Islay - a remote island to the west of Scotland. It is one of eight distilleries operating on the island

After a period of decline under previous owners, production dwindled to almost nothing

In 1997, the distillery was bought by The Glenmorangie Company who set about increasing production and restoring the distillery to its former glory

The distillery is relatively small, with one wash still and one spirit still

Alongside Lagavulin and Laphroaig, Ardbeg is known as one of the ‘super Islays’, with its intense flavour

Ardbeg is the most heavily peated malt on earth, measured at 55ppm phenol

The spirit still has a purifier on the arm of the still that allows the lighter alcohols to travel along the top of the arm while the heavier alcohols drop back into the still. The purifier is undoubtedly what gives Ardbeg its fruity, floral sweetness

Once filled with new make spirit, Ardbeg casks rest in low stone-built buildings with earthen floors, permeated by fresh sea-air, the local climate ensuring a steady path to full peaty maturity

The distillery is also home to the very popular Old Kiln Café and Visitor Centre which opened in 1998

Ardbeg - A Summarised History

1815	Ardbeg distillery is established as a legal commercial concern as the MacDougalls obtain a production licence
1887	Output tops 250,000 gallons (1.1 million litres) a year, making Ardbeg the most productive distillery on Islay
1959	Alexander MacDougall & Co is liquidated and the Ardbeg Distillery formed, marking the end of family control and an uncertain future
1977	The distillery changes hands for the second time as Hiram Walker acquires full control
1981 - 1989	Production dwindles to nothing and the distillery closes with the loss of 18 jobs and a devastating effect on the local community
1989	Hiram Walker is bought by Allied Lyons and small-scale distilling resumes to satisfy ongoing demand for Ardbeg amongst blenders
1997	The Glenmorangie Company purchases the distillery and full-time production commences, with the first bottlings comprising 17 Years Old, 1978 Vintage and Ardbeg Provenance
1998	Ardbeg 1975 is launched and Ardbeg is voted Distillery of the Year - a remarkable turnaround in only 12 short months
1999	Production reaches 600,000 litres a year as new equipment is installed
1999 - 2006	Ardbeg single casks are hand selected and released in very limited, exclusive bottlings
2000	Ardbeg Ten Years Old is launched and The Committee is formed from thousands of Ardbeg followers across the globe keen to ensure ‘the doors of Ardbeg never close again’
2001	Ardbeg Lord of the Isles is launched
2003	Named after the distillery’s water source, Ardbeg Uigeadail is launched. Also, the first Glenmorangie Company distillate is released to The Committee for discussion, a limited bottling of Very Young Ardbeg
2004	The Committee overwhelmingly approves the distillate, leading to the full launch of Very Young Ardbeg distilled in 1998, bottled in 2004 - turning whisky thinking on its head
2005	Ardbeg is established as part of the House of Glenmorangie within Moët Hennessy/LVMH and output reaches 1 million litres, emulating Ardbeg’s previous peak of success in 1887
2006	Still Young Ardbeg is launched as the malt takes its next step on ‘the peaty path to maturity’ Ardbeg 1965 is revealed - an extremely limited release of only 261 bottles of the oldest Ardbeg ever to be released Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist is released - a limited expression drawn from rare and restricted whisky stocks, distilled and laid down in 1990
2007	Ardbeg Almost There is bottled, the third limited release of the 1998 distillate that is progressing along ‘the peaty path to maturity’ Mór is the Gaelic word meaning “big and magnificent”. Ardbeg Mór was the biggest launch to date – a hugely sought after 1000 4.5litre bottles of cask strength Ten Years Old Another big release with Ardbeg Double Barrel – 250 pairs of the acclaimed Ardbeg 1974 vintage single cask bottlings presented in luxury shotgun cases
2008	Ardbeg Ten Years Old wins World Whisky of The Year in Jim Murray’s 2008 Whisky Bible – a big achievement indeed The Committee hurl themselves into the latest Committee bottling, Ardbeg Corryvreckan. Ardbeg Renaissance completes the peaty path to maturity in June 2008, with a full strength release of ten years old distilled in 1998. The journey continues with the launch of Blasda, a lightly peated Ardbeg, in September 2008.
2009	Ardbeg Uigeadail makes it a Double by winning World Whisky of The Year in Jim Murray’s 2009 Whisky Bible. A phenomenal achievement!

Tasting note for the Ardbeg 10 Year Old Single Islay Malt can be found on this website.

Latest Whisky News from Ardbeg Distillery

News: Ardbeg - 3th September 2024

Ardbeg Brings Back A Legendary Favourite With 17 Year Old Release

News: Ardbeg - 4th July 2024

Experimental whisky crosses madeira casks’ sweetness with Ardbeg’s classic smoke

News: Ardbeg - 7th May 2024

Ardbeg’s First Vintage Of The Millennium Hails The Spirit Of Y2k. Ultra-rare collectors’ series celebrates year of regeneration at Islay Distillery

News: Ardbeg - 16th April 2024

Limited-Edition Whisky’s Brings The Spirit Of The Circus To Ardbeg Day

News: Ardbeg - 5th March 2024

Ardbeg Distillery plans luxurious transformation of The Islay Hotel

News: Ardbeg - 14th November 2023

Historic Whiskies Encapsulate Distillery’s Rollercoaster Past. Irreplaceable bottlings from the 1980s celebrate Ardbeg’s survival

News: Ardbeg - 19th April 2021

Discover Lair Upon Lair Of Flavour In Ardbeg Scorch - The Distillery's Latest Limited Edition 2021

News: Ardbeg - 20th October 2020

Ardbeg Rolls Out Monster Delivery Service This Halloween. Distillery's monster of a dram - Ardbeg Wee Beastie - is taking over movie night this spooky season.

News: Ardbeg - 4th September 2020

Islay Distillery releases Batch Two of Ardbeg Traigh Bhan: New Ardbeg 19 Years Old Joins Rare Batch Series

News: Ardbeg - 20th August 2020

Colin Gordon named as new Ardbeg distillery production manager

News: Ardbeg - 21th July 2020

Ardbeg and DJ BBQ Turn Up The Heat This Summer To Launch Ardbeg Smoke Sessions

News: Ardbeg - 22nd May 2020

'Blaaack Sheep' Of Islay Rounds Up Fans For Virtual Ardbeg Day

News: Ardbeg - 28th March 2020

Ardbeg Wee Beastie - The Distillery's Latest Smoky Whisky Is Wreaking Flavour In Its Path

Prepare for a close encounter with Ardbeg Supernova - This year's Limited Edition from Ardbeg

This year's limited edition arrives with a mission – to take ardbeg committee members on a journey of unbelievably peaty proportions

Published Date: 4th October 2019

In October this year, still in the glow of winning Distillery of the Year 2019, Ardbeg Distillery will take its Committee Members on a journey like no other – as Supernova 2019 makes one more brief and earth-shattering return. Read more

Ardbeg Day celebrates a taste of the Caribbean with Rum-bustious Revelry in honour of Ardbeg Day Bottling, Ardbeg Drum

Join the UK festivities at Regent’s Park, London, for Ardbeg’s ‘Drum Roll Please…’
Saturday 1st June 2019

Published Date: 23rd May 2019

As Ardbeg Day fast approaches, Islay’s peatiest single malt has revealed how this annual whisky celebration will take shape in London, for those wanting to share in the rum-bustious revelry away from its native Islay shores. Read more

Ardbeg invites smoky malt fans to join together in a day of rumbustious revelry

Celebrate Islay's rich history of carnivals with a flamboyant Caribbean twist. Join in the festivities at around the UK for Ardbeg Day 201

Published Date: 25th February 2019

Every year, on Ardbeg Day – the last Saturday of Islay's Festival of Music and Malt, whisky fans gather to celebrate all things Ardbeg. For 2019, Ardbeg is preparing to close out the Feis Ile like never before. In a spectacular Caribbean twist, Ardbeggians everywhere are invited to swap their flat caps for elaborate headdresses as Ardbeg Day embraces a dash of carnival colour. Read more

New Release On 4th October: Ardbeg Twenty Something Is A Vintage From The Distillery's Darkest Days

This rare 22 Year Old whisky pays tribute to those visionaries who helped keep Ardbeg’s spirit alive

Published Date: 27th September 2018

In October of this year, whisky lovers will have the opportunity to experience the third release in Ardbeg’s exclusive Twenty Something collection – a superb 22 Year Old single malt bottled in honour of the handful of visionaries who helped keep the Distillery alive. Read more

Ardbeg spreads 'Peat & Love' to launch The Magical Whisky Tour 2018 Ardbeg Day Saturday 2nd June 2018

This year's Ardbeg Day celebrations will take Ardbeggians and whisky-lovers alike back in time for a celebration of all things 'Peat & Love'. Read more

Ardbeg Distillery on Islay provides crafted molecules in a "World First" Space Experiment - 10th April, 2012

Latest Whisky News - Make it snappy or we’ll see you later, urges Ardbeg - 1st September, 2011

You can also read more regarding Ardbeg Whiskies Distillery on the latest news page.