Once the most peat flavoured single malt from Islay (54 ppm). A unique small purifier counts for a fresh citrussy spirit. The malt is supplied by Port Ellen Maltings. Barley variety was Oxbridge in 2010. The Boby mill is said to be the oldest working malt mill in the world. Mainly first and second fill bourbon casks (from Jack Daniel‘s, Tennessee)  are in use, only few Sherry butts. Three dunnage and two racked warehouses are on site (stock is about 25,000 casks). Glenmorangie plc bought the mothballed distillery (since 1981) with all stock in 1997 and generated a success story on end. Restarted  from 1990 til 1996, mothballed again until June 1997 when Stuart Thomson became manager. After refurbishment the production returned to full capacity.

Almost all production of more than 1 million litres of spirit per year goes into malt bottlings. Limited, but excellent range of distillery expressions. Two versions are distilled the unpeated Kildalton and the regular Ardbeg with a malt specification of about 55 ppm which results in about 25 ppm in the plain new spirit.

An Islay highlight not to be missed. When visting spare time for the Old Kiln Restaurant. The „Ardbeg Crab Chowder“ - a Scottish fish soup - is most delicious. Excellent tours including filling store. Jackie Thompson, Manager of the visitor centre, gives excellent tours.

Beautiful site to be and to relax. The tours with Jackie Thompson for Members of the Ardbeg Committee are among the best tours in Scottish distilleries full of enthusiasm and commitment.

Special well saught after bottlings are available from the Ardbeg Committee and from various independent bottlers (distilled before 1997 only). A new Committee bottling called Alligator was released end of May, 2011. The spirit had matured in deeply charred bourbon barrels for eight to twelve years.  A general Alligator bottling was released in September 2011 with 51.2% A.B.V. See advertisement www.youtube.com/watch?v=WguBC9IlRfE. The Galileo Bottling followed in September, 2012. In June 2013 a new bottling Ardbog was released. More bottlings to follow...

Ardbeg‘s character: fresh, citrussy, peppery, smoky, phenolic, medicinical

Distillery Manager: Mickey Heads (2010)

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