Ardbeg distillery information
Established in 1815 (the same year Laphroaig was established nearby) by John McDougal, the Ardbeg distillery is located on the south-side of the Isle of Islay. In 1838, it was sold to Thomas Buchanan, for the sum of 1,800 GBP . John’s son Alexander is kept on as a distillery manager until his death in 1853. After his death, the distillery was co-run by Colin Hay and McDougall’s sisters, Margaret and Flora, who may have been Scotland’s first female distillers. In 1922, the distillery is purchased back by Alexander McDougall & Co Ltd for the sum of 19,000 GBP. It would remain in their ownership until 1959, when Ardbeg Distillery Ltd buys ownership following a liquidation. In 1977, Hiram Walker & Sons then buys the distillery, only to close it in 1981, presumably due to the whisky crisis of the early 1980s. Hiram Walker & Sons was acquired by Allied Distillers in 1987, and production is resumed on a much smaller scale in 1989. However, the distillery was forced to close again in 1991. In 1997, Glenmorangie PLC (owners of the Glenmorangie distillery) took over ownership, and made heavy investments into the revival of the brand. Glenmorangie PLC in turn is owned by Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, who traditionally aim at customers with deep purses. Perhaps as a result of their involvement, prices unfortunately have been rising. In March 2021, Ardbeg completed a new stillhouse on its shoreline, doubling capacity from two stills to four. The new stills were built to the exact specifications of the originals to preserve Ardbeg’s distinctive character, and the distillery’s annual production capacity increased significantly as a result.Ardbeg Whiskies
Ardbegs barley is peated/smoked to 50-55 PPM (parts per million; an indicator of the phenolic level), making it one of the most peated in the industry. Laphroiags, for instance, is at peated 40 PPM. Because of this, the fermentation process takes longer than at other distilleries, as due to the phenol, the yeast is not able to break down the sugars in the malt. The spirit still is equipped with a purifier, meant to capture heavier elements of the alcohol travelling up the necks of the still. This purifier is unique to Islay, and it is how Ardbeg manages to combine peat with fruity notes. Since 1997, independent bottlers have not been allowed to purchase any of the distillery’s whisky, and thus all whiskies are sold off by the distillery itself. The core range contains the following:- Ten Years Old
- Wee Beastie; five years old, the youngest standard release
- Uigeadail (Oog-a-dal); matured in a mix of bourbon and Sherry casks
- Corryvreckan; matured in new French oak and bourbon casks, the most intense in the range
- An Oa; matured across bourbon, Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez casks, the most approachable of the range
Distillery info:
Detail |
Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Ardbeg |
| Region | Islay |
| Country | Scotland |
| Logo |  |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1815 |
| Water source | Loch Uigeadail |
| Malting floor | No |
| Owned by | The Glenmorangie Company |
| Address | Ardbeg Distillery Port Ellen, Islay, Argyll PA42 7EA. |
| Visitor centre | Yes |
| Website | https://www.ardbeg.com/ |
| https://www.twitter.com/ardbeg_com | |
| https://www.facebook.com/ardbeg | |
| Community | The Ardbeg Committee |
| Map |
Distillery Setup:
Component |
Capacity |
Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Mash tun | 4.5 tonnes | 1 |
| Washback | 23,500 litres | 6 (Oregon pine) |
| Wash still | 18,000 litres | 2 |
| Spirit Still | 17,000 litres | 2 |
| Expected yearly output in LPA (Litres of pure alcohol) | 2,400,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Ardbeg is an anglicisation of the Gaelic “An Aird Bheag”, meaning “small headland” or “small promontory”, fitting for its location on Islay’s south-eastern shore.
Ardbeg was established in 1815 by John McDougal, the same year Laphroaig was founded nearby, on the south side of the Isle of Islay.
Possibly. After distillery manager Alexander McDougal, John’s son, died in 1853, the distillery was co-run by Colin Hay and McDougal’s sisters, Margaret and Flora, who may have been Scotland’s first female distillers.
Yes, more than once. Hiram Walker & Sons bought Ardbeg in 1977 and closed it in 1981, likely due to the whisky industry crisis of the early 1980s. Allied Distillers, which acquired Hiram Walker & Sons in 1987, resumed production on a smaller scale in 1989, only for the distillery to close again in 1991.
Glenmorangie PLC, owner of the Glenmorangie distillery, took over Ardbeg in 1997 and invested heavily in reviving the brand. Glenmorangie PLC is itself owned by Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, a company that traditionally targets customers with deep pockets, which may explain rising prices since.
In March 2021, Ardbeg completed a new stillhouse on its shoreline, doubling capacity from two stills to four. The new stills were built to the exact specifications of the originals to preserve Ardbeg’s distinctive character, significantly increasing the distillery’s annual production capacity.
Ardbeg’s barley is peated to 50-55 PPM (parts per million), a measure of phenolic level, making it one of the most heavily peated whiskies in the industry, well above Laphroaig’s roughly 40 PPM. The high phenol content slows fermentation, since yeast struggles to break down sugars in the malt. Ardbeg’s spirit still is fitted with a purifier, unique on Islay, that captures heavier alcohol elements travelling up the still’s neck, which is how the whisky combines peat with fruity notes.
No. Since 1997, independent bottlers have not been allowed to purchase any of Ardbeg’s whisky, so all Ardbeg is sold directly by the distillery itself.
The core range includes the Ten Years Old; Wee Beastie, a five-year-old and the youngest standard release; Uigeadail, matured in a mix of bourbon and Sherry casks; Corryvreckan, matured in new French oak and bourbon casks and the most intense in the range; and An Oa, matured across bourbon, Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez casks and the most approachable of the range.
Yes, Ardbeg has a visitor centre.