About Ardbeg Whisky Distillery
Distillery Number
01496 302244
Distillery Capacity
1 000 000 litres
Distillery Founded
1815
Distillery Status
Active
Distillery Address
Near Port Ellen, Islay, Argyll
Distillery Owner
The Glenmorangie Co (Moët Hennessy)
Distillery Website
www.ardbeg.com
1794
First record of a distillery at Ardbeg. It was founded by Alexander Stewart.
1798
The MacDougalls, later to become licensees of Ardbeg, are active on the site through Duncan MacDougall.
1815
The current distillery is founded by John MacDougall, son of Duncan MacDougall.
1853
Alexander MacDougall, John’s son, dies and sisters Margaret and Flora MacDougall, assisted by Colin Hay, continue the running of the distillery. Colin Hay takes over the licence when the sisters die.
1888
Colin Elliot Hay and Alexander Wilson Gray Buchanan renew their license.
1900
Colin Hay’s son takes over the license.
1959
Ardbeg Distillery Ltd is founded.
1973
Hiram Walker and Distillers Company Ltd jointly purchase the distillery for £300 000
1974
Widely considered as the last vintage of ‘old, peaty’ Ardbeg. Malt which has not been produced in the distillery´s own maltings is used in increasingly larger shares after this year.
1977
Hiram Walker assumes single control of the distillery. Ardbeg closes its maltings.
1979
Kildalton, a less peated malt, is produced over a number of years.
1981
The distillery closes in March.
1987
Allied Lyons takes over Hiram Walker and thereby Ardbeg.
1989
Production is restored with Iain Henderson as Manager. All malt is taken from Port Ellen.
1996
The distillery closes in July and Allied Distillers decides to put it up for sale during the autumn.
1997
Glenmorangie plc buys the distillery for £7 million (whereof £5.5 million is for whisky in storage). On stream from 25th June. Ardbeg 17 years old and Provenance are launched
1998
A new visitor centre opens.
2000
Ardbeg 10 years is introduced. The Ardbeg Committee (a worldwide forum for Ardbeg fans) is launched and has 30 000 members after a few years.
2001
Lord of the Isles 25 years and Ardbeg 1977 are launched.
2002
Ardbeg Committee Reserve and Ardbeg 1974 are launched.
2003
Uigeadail is launched.
2004
Very Young Ardbeg (6 years) and a limited edition of Ardbeg Kildalton (1300 bottles) are launched. The latter is a non-peated cask strength from 1980.
2005
Serendipity is launched.
2006
Ardbeg 1965 and Still Young are launched. Distillery Manager Stuart Thomson leaves Ardbeg after nine years. Almost There (9 years old) and Airigh Nam Beist are released.
2007
Michael Heads becomes the new distillery manager. Ardbeg Mor, a 10 year old in 4.5 litre bottles is released.
2008
The new 10 year old, Corryvreckan, Rennaisance, Blasda and Mor II are released.
Reproduced from the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2009 with the kind permission of Mr Ingvar Ronde