Ardnahoe distillery information
The distillery first was conceptualized by the family behind whisky blenders and bottlers Hunter & Laing. In 2015, a spot near Loch Ardnahoe was selected, and building started in 2016. The loch is where the distillery takes its’ name from. The contents of the lake have been filtered through sandstone and peat for millenia, leading to very soft water.
The Laing family has been in the whisky business since the 1940s, and thus had plenty of experience and knowledge of the industry to build on.
The distillery employs the use of a 100 years old Vickers Boby mill to grind the locally malted barley to grist. Another peculiar feature of the distillery is their use of Worm Tubs for cooling the distilled spirits. This is believed to lead to a better spirit, adding complexity and texture to the whisky.
Ardnahoe Whiskies
First spirit ran through the stills in October 2018, with the first cask filled that November. The distillery officially opened to visitors in April 2019, the first new distillery to open on Islay in fifteen years. After several years quietly maturing stock, Ardnahoe released its first ever whisky in May 2024: a five-year-old matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks. It’s since built out a full core range (see below).
Core range:
- Infinite Loch – the distillery’s first core release, matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks, bottled at 50% ABV without colouring or chill-filtration.
- Bholsa – added to the core range in March 2025, matured predominantly in ex-Oloroso sherry casks, also 50% ABV. Named after the Bholsa caves near the distillery.
- Cask Strength Edition – the third core bottling, launched October 2025. A five-year-old matured exclusively in first-fill Bourbon barrels, bottled at cask strength (60.9% ABV).
Distillery info:
Detail |
Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Ardnahoe |
| Region | Islay |
| Country | Scotland |
| Logo |  |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Water source | Loch Ardnahoe |
| Malting floor | No |
| Owned by | Hunter Laing & Co Ltd. |
| Address | address |
| Visitor centre | Yes |
| Website | https://www.ardnahoedistillery.com/ |
| https://www.twitter.com/ardnahoe | |
| https://www.facebook.com/ardnahoe | |
| Community | The Ardnahoe Society |
| Map |
Distillery Setup:
Component |
Capacity |
Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Mash tun | 2.5 tonnes | 1 |
| Washback | 5,000 litres | 4 (Oregon pine) |
| Wash still | 13,000 litres | 1 |
| Spirit Still | 11,000 litres | 1 |
| Expected yearly output in LPA (Litres of pure alcohol) | 875,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Ardnahoe takes its name from Loch Ardnahoe, near which the distillery was built starting in 2016. The loch’s water has been filtered through sandstone and peat for millennia, giving it a very soft character.
Ardnahoe was conceptualised by the family behind whisky blenders and bottlers Hunter & Laing, who have been in the whisky business since the 1940s.
Ardnahoe uses a 100-year-old Vickers Boby mill to grind its locally malted barley into grist, and cools its distilled spirits using worm tubs rather than modern condensers, a method believed to add complexity and texture to the whisky.
The first spirit ran through the stills in October 2018, with the first cask filled that November. The distillery officially opened to visitors in April 2019, the first new distillery to open on Islay in fifteen years, and released its first ever whisky in May 2024, a five-year-old matured in ex-Bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks.
The core range includes Infinite Loch (the first core release, matured in ex-Bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks), Bholsa (added March 2025, matured predominantly in ex-Oloroso sherry casks, named after the Bholsa caves near the distillery), and the Cask Strength Edition (launched October 2025, a five-year-old matured exclusively in first-fill Bourbon barrels).
Yes, Ardnahoe has a visitor centre.