Ardbeg Distillery Tour Review[photos]Islay-Scotland
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Our fourth stop on Islay was a visit to Ardbeg Distillery.
I often see posts on social media of people drinking things like Ardbeg TEN, and when I actually tried it, I felt its deliciousness with its lovely peatiness.
Since it’s so famous, I’d assumed it was a big distillery, but actually it wasn’t that big.
The tour was an indulgent time where you could go around while drinking.
Here’s a look at the tour.
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目次
Features of the Distillery
Founded in 1815 by John MacDougall.
Ardbeg means “small hill” or “headland” in Gaelic, and it’s at the southern tip of Islay; that hill is apparently the distillery’s landmark.
Compared to Laphroaig and Lagavulin, the whisky is more classic, with strong peat aroma, iodine notes, and smoky flavor.
The phenol level is the highest, but thanks to the purifier fitted to the spirit still, it’s characterized by a clean, fruity, sweet aroma.
Annual production capacity is 1.4 million liters, the smallest on Islay apart from Kilchoman.
75% is for its own single malt and blends, and the remaining 25% is made as malt for Chivas and Ballantine’s.
Location/ Access
It’s at the southern tip of Islay.
To get there, you can take the bus from Bowmore or Port Ellen.
There aren’t many buses, so you need to check the times carefully.
We walked there after visiting Lagavulin.
However, since there was no bus afterward, we arranged a taxi in advance.
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The Distillery’s Exterior
The exterior and the furniture made from casks were really cute.
The Tour
The tour we joined was £20 per person (about 3,500 yen).
It included a distillery tour and a tasting.
We had whisky right from the start.
At first we were surprised, but with glass in hand — it was late November and cold — it was fun to listen to the distillery’s story while drinking outside.
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The Shop
The shop had a cool atmosphere too, and they let us do a tasting at the edge of the shop area.
The restroom was stylish too.
The Restaurant
Ardbeg has a restaurant next to the shop, and since we happened to be hungry, we had a late lunch before the tour.
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Summary
We were really surprised by the tour-while-drinking, but it made for a wonderful memory.
There’s a restaurant too, so it’s a distillery I’d love you to enjoy along with lunch.