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Ardbeg Whisky

Ardbeg is one of the most famous whisky distilleries in the world, and for good reason. The Ardbeg distillery produces some of the finest single malt whisky around and has been doing so for centuries.

The Ardbeg distillery is located on the island of Islay, off the coast of Scotland. The distillery was founded in 1815 by John McDougall and has been in operation ever since. Ardbeg whisky is renowned for its smoky flavour, which comes from the peat that is used to smoke the barley during the whisky-making process.

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 Ardbeg's production scale being less than half that of its neighbours.

Ardbeg ran into some financial difficulties and the distillery was closed in 1981. It was not until 1989 that distillation resumed, although on a very small scale. After closing again in 1996, the owners, Allied Domecq, put the Ardbeg distillery up for sale. It was bought in 1997 by Glenmorangie Co and was, at last, restored to its former grandeur.

Ardbeg's 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.

Ardbeg was acquired by luxury giant Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy in 2005. In 2006, Stuart Thompson, who had served as the distillery manager at Ardbeg since the take-over by Glenmorangie PLC in 1997, left the distillery after working there for almost a decade. Following this, Michael "Mickey" Heads, an Islay native and former manager at Jura who had worked at Ardbeg years earlier, took over in March 2007.

Ardbeg release its peatiest expression ever in 2009, in the form of Supernova.

In 2018, construction of a new still house at the Ardbeg distillery began which will house four new stills, while the original still house is being refurbished in order to house six new washbacks. This will increase production from 1.4 million litres to 2.4 million litres.

Ardbeg 15 Year Old 1973 (Sestante)

75cl, 53.4%

Few distilleries are as sought after as Islay's Ardbeg. Sestante meanwhile, are a celebrated independent bottling brand of real note who are no longer operating. What then, would it take to top a…  More info

Ardbeg 15 Year Old 1973 (Sestante)

Ardbeg 15 Year Old 2003 (cask 2455) - Cask Strength

70cl, 52.8%

Release for Fèis Ìle 2019, this single cask Ardbeg was distilled in September 2003 and bottled in April 2019. It was aged in a Chenin Blanc barrel, which had an outturn of only 231 bottles. Very…  More info

Ardbeg 15 Year Old 2003 (cask 2455) - Cask Strength

Ardbeg 15 Year Old 2004 (Release No.11673) - The Stories of Wind & Wave (The Character of Islay Whisky Company)

70cl, 54.9%

The Character of Islay Whisky Company has gone and made its own independent bottling range - The Stories of Wind & Wave! Expect some incredible Islay whiskies from this series, like... Oh, I don't…  More info

Ardbeg 15 Year Old 2004 (Release No.11673) - The Stories of Wind & Wave (The Character of Islay Whisky Company)

Ardbeg 15 Year Old 2005 (cask 5460) - Fèis Ìle 2021

70cl, 56.8%

A rather rare and collectible release from Ardbeg, distilled in November 2005 and matured in a single second-fill Oloroso sherry butt for fifteen years. In March 2021, it was bottled up in…  More info

Ardbeg 15 Year Old 2005 (cask 5460) - Fèis Ìle 2021

Ardbeg 15 Year Old 2006 - Single Cask #2643

70cl, 53.7%

Limited edition Ardbeg here. This single cask Islay single malt was distilled in 2006 and matured for all of its 15 years in a first fill Madeira barrique. Only 319 bottles were produced, at cask…  More info

Ardbeg 15 Year Old 2006 - Single Cask #2643

Ardbeg 16 Year Old 1990 (cask 86) - Single Cask

70cl, 52.8%

Single cask Ardbeg? Yeah, go on then! This is a single malt from Islay's south coast that was distilled in 1990 and left to age in a sherry butt for 16 years, until it was bottled in 2007. Just 300…  More info

Ardbeg 16 Year Old 1990 (cask 86) - Single Cask

Ardbeg 17 Year Old 1991 Rum Finish - Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

70cl, 50%

A stunning Ardbeg, the likes of which have never been seen before. This was distilled in March 1991, and bottled in October 2008. There are just 316 bottles, at the strength of 50% (for added…  More info

Ardbeg 17 Year Old 1991 Rum Finish - Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

Ardbeg 17 Year Old 1994 - Mission (Murray McDavid)

70cl, 56.5%

A super limited release of independently bottled Ardbeg! There are just 306 bottles of this stuff, bottled at natural cask strength in 2011 at the Bruichladdich distillery after 17 years in a single…  More info

Ardbeg 17 Year Old 1994 - Mission (Murray McDavid)

Ardbeg 18 Year Old 1991 Cask 5440 - Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

70cl, 50%

Distilled at Ardbeg in March 1991 and matured for 18 years before bottling in August 2009. A release of 208 bottles, bottled by Douglas Laing.  More info

Ardbeg 18 Year Old 1991 Cask 5440 - Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)
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Ardbeg 18 Year Old 1991 Cask 5449 - Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

70cl, 50%

An 18 year old single cask Ardbeg, this was matured in a refill hogshead, distilled in March 1991 and bottled in September 2009 by Douglas Laing with an outturn of 316 bottles.  More info

Ardbeg 18 Year Old 1991 Cask 5449 - Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

Ardbeg 18 Year Old 1993 - Mission (Murray McDavid)

70cl, 56.9%

A single cask, independent bottling of Ardbeg, likely to sell out before I finish typing this sentence! It was distilled in 1993 and aged for 18 years in a bourbon cask before bottling at the…  More info

Ardbeg 18 Year Old 1993 - Mission (Murray McDavid)

Ardbeg 18 Year Old 1998 (cask 1776) - Straight From The Cask (La Maison du Whisky 60th Anniversary)

50cl, 56.6%

A very exciting bottling from La Maison du Whisky's 60th Anniversary celebrations - 18 year old Ardbeg single malt, aged in a first-fill bourbon barrel from June 1998 to August 2016. This was bottled…  More info

Ardbeg 18 Year Old 1998 (cask 1776) - Straight From The Cask (La Maison du Whisky 60th Anniversary)

Ardbeg 18 Year Old - Single Cask (Master of Malt)

70cl, 56.3%

Ardbeg changed hands between 1996 and 1997, since then the distillery has only released a Ten Year Old with an age statement. So it is pretty darn exciting *massively massively exciting* to get to…  More info

Ardbeg 18 Year Old - Single Cask (Master of Malt)
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Ardbeg 1974 Provenance

70cl, 55.6%

An incredibly rare, highly collectible and rather legendary bottle of vintage Ardbeg, bottled at natural cask strength. Distilled in 1974, Serge from WhiskyFun.com awarded this an astonishing 95…  More info

Ardbeg 1974 Provenance
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Ardbeg 1974 - Samaroli

70cl, 59%

Someone sound the rare, old, indie Ardbeg alarm, because we've got a 1974 vintage Ardbeg bottled by Samaroli right here! This one was matured in sherry casks and bottled at a robust 59% ABV with an…  More info

Ardbeg 1974 - Samaroli

Ardbeg 1974 (Spirit of Scotland)

70cl, 40%

This was distilled at the Ardbeg distillery in 1974 and it was bottled especially for Speymalt Whisky's Spirit of Scotland range. A very rare and collectible bottling from the legendary Islay…  More info

Ardbeg 1974 (Spirit of Scotland)

Ardbeg 1975 - Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon and MacPhail)

70cl, 40%

A very rare Ardbeg bottled by Gordon and MacPhail in 2003. This was distilled in 1975 - a legendary vintage for Ardbeg.  More info

Ardbeg 1975 - Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon and MacPhail)
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Ardbeg 1978 (bottled 1997)

70cl, 43%

An exciting old bottling of Ardbeg single malt Scotch whisky, distilled all the way back in 1978. This was a year after Hiram Walker became the overall owner of the Islay distillery, and a few years…  More info

Ardbeg 1978 (bottled 1997)

Ardbeg 1980 Kildalton

70cl, 57.6%

Liquid gold for any fans of Ardbeg, Kildalton is a legendary whisky, which was distilled in 1980 and release in 2004 with an outturn of 1,300, never-to-be-repeated bottles. All at natural cask…  More info

Ardbeg 1980 Kildalton

Ardbeg 1990 - Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon and MacPhail)

70cl, 40%

A Gordon and MacPhail bottling from Ardbeg, this was distilled in 1990 and bottled in 2001.  More info

Ardbeg 1990 - Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon and MacPhail)

Ardbeg 1993 (cask 1290) (bottled 2017) - Mackillop's Choice

70cl, 50.9%

Single cask single malt from the legendary Ardbeg distillery, bottled for the Mackillop's Choice range. A release of just 240 bottles, presented at cask strength. Bottling from this Islay distillery…  More info

Ardbeg 1993 (cask 1290) (bottled 2017) - Mackillop's Choice

Ardbeg 1993 - Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon & MacPhail)

70cl, 43%

A sherry matured Ardbeg, distilled in 1993 and bottled by Gordon and MacPhail for the Connoisseurs Choice range.  More info

Ardbeg 1993 - Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon & MacPhail)

Ardbeg 1994 (bottled 2004) - Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon & MacPhail)

70cl, 40%

A grand old bottle of Ardbeg from Gordon & MacPhail's independent Connoisseurs Choice collection. This single malt was distilled in 1994 and bottled a decade later, in 2004. This bottle was part…  More info

Ardbeg 1994 (bottled 2004) - Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon & MacPhail)

Ardbeg 1995 Single Cask 2761 - Feis Ile 2010

70cl, 53.3%

A beautiful 14 year old, single cask Ardbeg bottled especially for the 2010 Feis Ile (Islay Festival). This was distilled on the 7th December 1995, it was then aged in cask 2761 (a second fill…  More info

Ardbeg 1995 Single Cask 2761 - Feis Ile 2010

Ardbeg 1998 (bottled 2004) Very Young

70cl, 58.3%

The first part in the Young series from Ardbeg, tracking the development of Ardbeg whisky, aged for just a few years, all the way up to the standard Ardbeg at 10 years old. Very interesting indeed,…  More info

Ardbeg 1998 (bottled 2004) Very Young
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