THE ULTIMATE ISLAY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
MALTING
BORN IN SMOKE
Ardbeg's smoke is more than just peaty. It's bold, layered and balanced - with sweetness, saltiness and spice woven beneath the surface. But where does that extraordinary smokiness begin? With the malt, and the peat that shapes it.
Malting is the process of preparing barley for distillation. First, the barley is steeped in water to trigger germination - encouraging the grain to sprout and convert its starches into fermentable sugars. Once germination reaches the right point, it is halted by kilning - drying the malt with hot air. Our malt is kilned over burning peat, the smoke from which penetrates the grain and imparts the phenolic compounds that give Ardbeg its legendary smokiness. Our malt is peated to a minimum of 55ppm - one of the highest peating levels in the industry and yet, our distillation process balances that smoke with an unexpected yet exceedingly welcome sweetness. We call this the peaty paradox.
MALTING
BORN IN SMOKE
Ardbeg's smoke is more than just peaty. It's bold, layered and balanced - with sweetness, saltiness and spice woven beneath the surface. But where does that extraordinary smokiness begin? With the malt, and the peat that shapes it.
Malting is the process of preparing barley for distillation. First, the barley is steeped in water to trigger germination - encouraging the grain to sprout and convert its starches into fermentable sugars. Once germination reaches the right point, it is halted by kilning - drying the malt with hot air. Our malt is kilned over burning peat, the smoke from which penetrates the grain and imparts the phenolic compounds that give Ardbeg its legendary smokiness. Our malt is peated to a minimum of 55ppm - one of the highest peating levels in the industry.
MILLING
WORTH THE GRIND
At the Distillery, our peated malt is crushed into a substance called grist by our iconic Boby malt mill — installed in 1921 and still going strong after over 100 years of service. Ancient by anyone's standards. We even still use a shuggle box to measure the grist ratios. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
MILLING
WORTH THE GRIND
At the Distillery, our peated malt is crushed into a substance called grist by our iconic Boby malt mill — installed in 1921 and still going strong after over 100 years of service. Ancient by anyone's standards. We even still use a "shoogle" box to measure the grist ratios. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
The water we use to produce Ardbeg comes from Loch Uigeadail, 3 miles up the hill behind the Distillery. The water flows down and runs into Loch Airigh Nam Beist – from there the burn takes it to Charlie’s Dam at the Distillery where it is piped into the Mash House.
MASHING
TUNS OF FLAVOUR
The grist is added to our mash tun along with water from our very own Loch Uigeadail. Mashing is the process of converting starch from the grist into sugar, then dissolving the sugar and phenols into water, unlocking the very compounds that give Ardbeg its extraordinary smoky character. Warm water is added three times to ensure every last drop of sugar is extracted, leaving us with a liquid called wort.
MASHING
TUNS OF FLAVOUR
The grist is added to our mash tun along with water from our very own Loch Uigeadail. Mashing is the process of converting starch from the grist into sugar, then dissolving the sugar and phenols into water, unlocking the very compounds that give Ardbeg its extraordinary smoky character. Warm water is added three times to ensure every last drop of sugar is extracted, leaving us with a liquid called wort.
Fermentation
WHERE WORT BECOMES WASH
After mashing, the wort is cooled and transferred to our washbacks, where distiller's yeast is added and the transformation begins. Fermentation is the process by which yeast converts the natural sugars in the wort into alcohol.
Our washbacks are crafted from Oregon Pine - a wood that imparts its own estery, carbolic character to the fermenting liquid. The result is a wash of approx 8% ABV, ready for distillation.
Fermentation
WHERE WORT BECOMES WASH
After mashing, the wort is cooled and transferred to our washbacks, where distiller's yeast is added and the transformation begins. Fermentation is the process by which yeast converts the natural sugars in the wort into alcohol.
Our washbacks are crafted from Oregon Pine - a wood that imparts its own estery, carbolic character to the fermenting liquid. The result is a wash of approx 8% ABV, ready for distillation.
Distillation
THE ART OF CONCENTRATION
Distillation is the process of separating alcohol from water by heating a liquid to create vapour, then cooling that vapour back into liquid. At Ardbeg we distil two and a shortie bit times, in traditional copper pot stills. Each run a careful act of concentration, coaxing the spirit ever closer to its final form.
The first distillation takes place in the wash still, where the fermented wash is heated, the alcohol vapours collected and condensed back into liquid, leaving pot ale behind. The resulting liquid, known as low wines at approx 25% abv, moves on to the spirit still for its second distillation, where it is taken up to around 63.7% ABV.
Distillation
THE ART OF CONCENTRATION
Distillation is the process of separating alcohol from water by heating a liquid to create vapour, then cooling that vapour back into liquid. At Ardbeg we distil two and a shortie bit times, in traditional copper pot stills. Each run a careful act of concentration, coaxing the spirit ever closer to its final form.
The first distillation takes place in the wash still, where the fermented wash is heated, the alcohol vapours collected and condensed back into liquid, leaving pot ale behind. The resulting liquid, known as low wines at approx 25% abv, moves on to the spirit still for its second distillation, where it is taken up to around 63.7% ABV.
DISTILLATION
THE PURIFIER
The purifier is found on the lyne arm of the spirit still and collects the heavier vapours, these cool and run back down into the pot to be redistilled.
The result of the purifier is more copper contact and more reflux, revealing Ardbeg’s balanced fruity, floral, smoky, sweetness. This is what we call The Peaty Paradox.
DISTILLATION
THE PURIFIER
The purifier is found on the line arm of the spirit still and collects the heavier vapours, these cool and run back down into the pot to be redistilled.
The result of the purifier is more copper contact and more reflux, revealing Ardbeg’s balanced fruity, floral, smoky, sweetness. This is what we call The Peaty Paradox.
Maturation
GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT
Bourbon oak is the heartbeat of Ardbeg - our house style and the foundation of what we consider classic Ardbeg, carefully selected by our master distiller Dr. Bill Lumsden. But at Ardbeg, we are never ones to sit still - and we experiment regularly with different cask types to push the boundaries of flavour.
Our core expressions each tell their own maturation story. Ardbeg Ten Years Old matures in bourbon barrels - classic Ardbeg at its purest. Ardbeg Uigeadail draws its rich, complex character from Oloroso sherry butts, while Ardbeg Corryvreckan takes on a wilder edge through new French oak barrels.
Maturation
GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT
Bourbon oak is the heartbeat of Ardbeg - our house style and the foundation of what we consider classic Ardbeg, carefully selected by our master distiller Dr. Bill Lumsden. But at Ardbeg, we are never ones to sit still - and we experiment regularly with different cask types to push the boundaries of flavour.
Our three core expressions each tell their own maturation story. Ardbeg Ten Years Old matures in bourbon barrels - classic Ardbeg at its purest. Ardbeg Uigeadail draws its rich, complex character from Oloroso sherry butts, while Ardbeg Corryvreckan takes on a wilder edge through new French oak barrels.
RECIPE CREATION
WHERE SCIENCE MEETS INSTINCT
Behind every bottle of Ardbeg stands two of the most respected names in whisky - Master Blender Gillian Macdonald and Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks, Dr. Bill Lumsden. Together, they are the guardians of the Ardbeg recipe, drawing on a broad range of casks to achieve the most compelling flavour profile possible. Younger spirit to dial up the smokiness. Experimental casks to push boundaries. Older spirit to add depth and balance. Every decision is deliberate, every combination considered. The goal is always, unequivocally, to create something extraordinary in the glass.
RECIPE CREATION
WHERE SCIENCE MEETS INSTINCT
Behind every bottle of Ardbeg stands two of the most respected names in whisky - Master Blender Gillian Macdonald and Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks, Dr. Bill Lumsden. Together, they are the guardians of the Ardbeg recipe, drawing on a broad range of casks to achieve the most compelling flavour profile possible. Younger spirit to dial up the smokiness. Experimental casks to push boundaries. Older spirit to add depth and balance. Every decision is deliberate, every combination considered. The goal is always, unequivocally, to create something extraordinary in the glass.
Delectation
Slàinte!
Now for the best part of the process. All that remains is to bottle it, ship it, pour it and enjoy a dram.
Delectation
Slàinte!
Now for the best part of the process. All that remains is to bottle it, ship it, pour it and enjoy a dram.
