Renowned as one of Islay’s smokiest and most heavily peated whiskies, Ardbeg has achieved iconic cult status amongst whisky enthusiasts. Resurrected in 1997, Ardbeg proves distilleries can successfully return from the dead, with the re-opening an early sign of an Islay whisky revival driven by a significantly growing demand for single malts.

If you’re curious about this iconic peaty whisky, this guide explores Ardbeg’s production, smoky flavors, and distinctive character – providing answers to all your key questions about one of Scotland’s most celebrated distilleries.

Is Ardbeg The Peatiest Whisky?

Ardbeg uses the most phenolic (smoky) malt amongst Islay distillers – peated to a level of 50-55 PPM. Peat-dried barley contains phenols, chemical compounds that impart smoky flavors with levels measured in parts per million (PPM). Ardbeg’s malt is supplied by the Port Ellen maltings – Ardbeg’s distillery floor maltings ceased in 1981. Mashing, fermentation, distillation, and maturation all impact phenol levels varying how much smoke or peat can be tasted in the final whisky.

Amongst the most widely available heavily peated whiskies, Ardbeg’s 10 Year Old and Corryvreckan expressions are perceivably smoky, peated to 50-55 PPM, the highest core range bottlings of Islay’s distillers. The limited-edition Ardbeg Supernova ($406) released in 2015, is the brand’s most heavily peated expression at 100 PPM. Ardbeg’s status as the peatiest whisky has been challenged by the Bruichladdich Distillery’s super-heavily peated small batch Octomore range, peated between 80.5-309 PPM.

How Is Ardbeg Whisky Made?

Ardbeg’s phenolic malted barley is combined with water from Loch Uigeadail in the mash tun, and heated to a temperature of 63.5℃. The liquid wort from the mash tun is cooled to 18℃, then pumped into the washbacks, and yeast is added to begin fermentation. Ardbeg’s fermentation is longer than many other distilleries, due to the phenolic content of the original malt, concluding with a fermented wash which has an alcohol content of 8.5% ABV.

After fermentation Ardbeg distills twice, the first distillation happens in the wash still while the second is done in the spirit still. On the Lyne arm of Ardbeg’s spirit still is a piece of apparatus known as a purifier, which captures heavier impure alcohol compounds that reach the top of the still during the boiling process and feeds these compounds back down into the main pot of the still. The lighter alcohol compounds collected during the early spirit run give Ardbeg its sweet fruity flavours, while the heavier compounds including the phenolics are captured later, ensuring Ardbeg’s heavily peated notes are balanced throughout the distillation process. Ardbeg’s purifier is unique on Islay.

Ardbeg uses casks from a variety of sources, predominantly first and second-fill ex-bourbon casks, although ex-sherry butts and new French oak barrels are also used for core range bottlings, ‘Uigeadail‘ ($81) and ‘Corryvreckan‘ ($84).

What Does Ardbeg Whisky Taste Like? 

Ardbeg’s whisky balances flavors of peat, sweetness, and smoke with notes of citrus. Tasting notes for the core range Ardbeg 10 Year Old expression by the distillery can be found below:

Nose: A burst of intense smoky fruit escapes into the atmosphere of peat infused with zesty lemon and lime, wrapped in waxy dark chocolate. Bold menthol and black pepper slice through the sweet smoke followed by tarry ropes and graphite. Savour the aroma of smoked fish and crispy bacon alongside green bell peppers, baked pineapple and pear juice.

Add water and an oceanic minerality brings a breath of cool, briny seaspray. Waxed lemon and lime follows with coal tar soap, beeswax and herby pine woodlands. Toasted vanilla and sizzling cinnamon simmer with warm hazelnut and almond toffee.

Palate: An explosion of crackling peat sets off millions of flavour explosions: peat effervesces with tangy lemon and lime juice, black pepper pops with sizzling cinnamon-spiced toffee. Then comes a wave of brine infused with smooth buttermilk, ripe bananas and currants. Smoke gradually wells up on the palate bringing a mouthful of warm creamy cappuccino and toasted marshmallows. As the taste lengthens and deepens, dry espresso, liquorice root and tarry smoke develop coating the palate with chewy peat oils. 

Finish: The finish goes on and on a long and smoky with tarry espresso, aniseed, toasted almonds and traces of soft barley and fresh pear.

Read the full article at Ardbeg: The Peatiest Powerhouse on Islay