ArdbegSingle Malt Scotch Whisky
Like its fellow southern Ileachs, Laphroaig and Lagavulin, Ardbeg is heavily peated, with a turfy smoke and seaspray character predominant in most bottlings. The distillery fell foul of the global whisky downturn in the late 1970s, which, coupled with some criminal mismanagement by the then owners Hiram Walker, led to the distillery falling silent in 1981. Production resumed sporadically in 1989, but the distillery fell silent again in 1996.
However, all was not lost. In 1997 Ardbeg was taken over by Glenmorangie plc, and the past decade has seen a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for this previously neglected distillery, which now boasts an excellent tour onsite, a cracking restaurant and a worldwide following eager for all things Ardbeg. An initial release of aged stocks bottled as a 17 year-old in newly-designed packaging proved an instant runaway success, and has been followed by a string of highly successful official bottlings.
The core of the range is now the standard 10 year-old - an exuberant, fruity, peaty dram - but there have been several vintage and single cask bottlings that have been elevated to the status of instant classics by Islay aficionados, and surviving bottles of the earlier releases now command sums far in excess of their initial list price.
The success of these new bottlings, coupled with the huge surge of popularity of all things Islay-related in recent years,has also led to a revival of interest in older bottlings of Ardbeg, with the result that independent bottlings released while the distillery was silent in the eighties and early nineties have shot up in value.In particular, vintage releases of Ardbeg from the period before 1977 when the distillery's floor maltings were removed (a dreadful error by Hiram Walker) are extremely highly sought-after.
Character and Style of Ardbeg
-
Wet wool (wet dog)
-
Carbolic Soap
-
Seaweed
-
Brine
Sort & Filter
Price Range
Bottling Status
Age
Vintage
Cask Type
Bottler
Series
Strength
Single Cask
Flavour Profile
Colouring
Certification
Ardbeg Uigeadail
£66.95
(£95.64 per litre)
Ardbeg 10 Year Old
£47.95
(£68.50 per litre)
Ardbeg An Oa
£49.45
(£70.64 per litre)
Ardbeg The Three Monsters of Smoke Trio Pack3x20cl
£39.95
(£66.58 per litre)
Ardbeg Wee Beastie5 Year Old
£38.95
(£55.64 per litre)
Ardbeg 25 Year Old2022 Release
£850
(£1,214.29 per litre)
Ardbeg DrumArdbeg Day 2019
£225
(£321.43 per litre)
Ardbeg KildaltonBot.2014
£425
(£607.14 per litre)
Ardbeg SupernovaBot.2010
£600
(£857.14 per litre)
Ardbeg 17 Year Old
£650
(£928.57 per litre)
Ardbeg 1976Bot.1999 Connoisseurs Choice
£1,250
(£1,785.71 per litre)
Ardbeg 196732 Year Old Old Malt Cask
£5,500
(£7,857.14 per litre)
Ardbeg 1974Bot.1992 Connoisseurs Choice
£1,350
(£1,928.57 per litre)
Ardbeg 197525 Year Old Old Malt Cask
£3,250
(£4,333.33 per litre)
Ardbeg 197418 Year Old Connoisseurs Choice
£1,350
(£1,800 per litre)
Ardbeg 197522 Year Old Map Label Connoisseurs Choice
£1,200
(£1,600 per litre)
Ardbeg 196632 Year Old Cadenhead's
£8,000
(£11,428.57 per litre)
Ardbeg 19918 Year Old Casks #606-609
£325
(£464.29 per litre)
Ardbeg 19918 Year Old Casks #611-615
£325
(£464.29 per litre)
Ardbeg 1978Bot.1990s Connoisseurs Choice Map Label
£1,250
(£1,666.67 per litre)
Ardbeg 197518 Year Old Cask #2461-63
£1,000
(£1,428.57 per litre)
Ardbeg 199318 Year Old Master of Malt
£600
(£857.14 per litre)
Ardbeg 197940 Year Old Signatory
£10,000
(£14,285.71 per litre)
Ardbeg 19918 Year Old Cask #622 & 623
£325
(£433.33 per litre)