Ardbeg
Ardbeg
Distilled on the remote Scottish island of Islay for more than 200 years, Ardbeg is revered around the globe as among the peatiest and smokiest, yet most complex, of all the Islay single malt whiskies.
Creation date: 1815
President and CEO: Caspar MacRae
Head office: The Glenmorangie Company, The Cube, 45 Leith St, Edinburgh, EH1 3AT - Scotland
Website: www.ardbeg.com
Identity
Established in 1815, Ardbeg prides itself on being The Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky. And while it is one of the smokiest Islay whiskies, Ardbeg is also renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as ‘the peaty paradox’.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Ardbeg suffered from an uncertain future, and it was not until the brand was purchased by The Glenmorangie Company in 1997 that the Distillery was saved from extinction. Since then, the Distillery has risen like a phoenix and today Ardbeg is a niche, cult malt, with a passionate following.
The legacy of the whisky was safeguarded in 2000 by the formation of the Ardbeg Committee, made up of thousands of Ardbeg followers, keen to ensure “the doors of Ardbeg never close again”. Today there are more than 160,000 members in over 130 countries.
Ardbeg is loved not only by its fans, but also by the experts, who have made it the world’s most highly awarded smoky single malt whisky. The brand’s numerous accolades include winning World’s Best Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards twice, the International Whisky Competition Distillery of the Year Award three years running, and the competition’s World Whisky of the Year for Ardbeg Uigeadail.
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Ardbeg’s untamed island home of Islay, has an abundance of soft water, fertile soil and precious peat – making it a prolific producer of distinctive, world-famous whiskies. The Ardbeg Distillery perches on its wild south coast. Islay is a land steeped in history. Celtic monks, raiding Norsemen and 19th-century smugglers have all played their part in Ardbeg’s story. Islay’s dramatic past lives in the brand to this day.
Insights
“Ardbeg is the most incredible Distillery, and the whisky is but one important element of its magic. Stand on the pier with a dram of Ardbeg in hand, and take in the sea air – you’ll know you are in a very special place.”
Inspiration
Ardbeg is known as the “ultimate Islay malt”. Of all the Islay malt distilleries, it is Ardbeg that most encapsulates the natural aromas, tastes and the “feel” of Islay. The smell of heather-clad peat bogs, tarry rope, smoky bonfires and Atlantic winds full of salty sea spray can all be discovered in a glass of Ardbeg. Ardbeg’s dark and irreverent personality encapsulates the long history of the distillery, its Scottish provenance and the wildness of Islay.
Ardbeg’s creativity is born of these rich Islay cues and is expressed through a unique “Ardbeggian” attitude and a level of passion instilled in its fans, rare with other malt whisky brands. Every May sees the celebration of “Ardbeg Day” around the world, inspired by Islay’s Feis Ile Festival. This annual event offers fans globally the chance to join together at Committee events and celebrations, from the underwater events with Ardbeg Kelpie in 2017, to the Ardbeg “punk Ardcore” celebration in 2022.
Key figures
- 55 PPM (PARTS PER MILLION) OF PEAT IN ARDBEG TEN YEARS OLD
- 180,000+ FANS ON THE ARDBEG COMMITTEE
- 4 COPPER STILLS