Ardbeg

Ardbeg lies solitary, in a small cove off the south coast of Islay. It was once a stage for illegal distillation, when smugglers took advantage of the remote location and exceptional conditions for whisky production. Eventually, excise men seized the original, illegitimate buildings from the smugglers and destroyed them. It was not until 1815 that a legal distillery was established and founded by John McDougall. Sitting nearby leviathan distilleries; Laphroaig and Lagavulin, Ardbeg has always produced a very sought-after single malt, despite its production scale being less than half that of its neighbours.

After running into some financial difficulties the distillery closed in 1981 and it was not until 1989 that distillation resumed, although on a very small scale. After closing again in 1996, then owners, Allied Domecq, put the distillery up for sale. It was bought in 1997 by Glenmorangie Co and was, at last, restored to its former grandeur. Its chief watersource, Loch Uigeadail, or ‘dark and mysterious place’ in Gaelic, became the inspiration for a bottling launched in 2003 under the same name. Ardbeg Uigeadail was later Jim Murray’s 2009 World Whisky of the Year, a title held previously by Ardbeg’s ten year-old. Ardbeg has become known for its rich, peated whiskies, very easily identifiable by their fullness of body and perfect harmony of flavour.

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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