Ardbeg is a popular Scotch whiskey known in the world market since 1998. But the plant itself, which produces this drink, has been operating since 1794. Why did Ardbeg distillery stay in the shadows for so long? We will tell an interesting history of the development of this brand in this article. Now the Scottish plant belongs to the international corporation "Glenmoorzh". But all the production facilities of the distillery are located in the same place where whiskey was made at the end of the eighteenth century. This is not to say that the drink is made the old fashioned way. But the manufacturer studied all the innovations in this art to create the best whiskey. The Ardbeg distillery produces dozens of products. The most popular of them we will consider in this article.
Distillery history
In 1794, a modest factory stood on the south coast of the island of Isla, on the very shore of the sea. He seemed to be hiding from prying eyes among the rocks. And not by chance: whiskey was produced illegally here. In 1815, the all-seeing eye of the tax inspectorate nevertheless reached him. The plant was closed, but was immediately bought by a certain John MacDougle. In 1815, the legal phase of the distillery began. The place for the production of Ardbeg whiskey was not chosen by chance. A stream flows out of Lake Oogadal, punching its way between silicon rocks and peat bogs. The malt houses are located at the very edge of the sea, and the raw materials are saturated with the smell of iodine and salt spray. The fact that this place is good for whiskey production is also evidenced by the fact that not far from Ardbeg there are two more respected distilleries - Lagavulin and Laphroaig. In 1981, the owner of a small factory ran into financial difficulties and put the company up for auction. The new owners didn’t get along either, and they resold the distillery. Finally, in 1996, it was acquired by Glenmorangie Co. She reconstructed the equipment and also launched a promotional campaign. And it turned out that in order for the whole planet to learn about first-class whiskey, a commercial was enough.
Lake Oogadal and his contribution to the glory of whiskey
Glenmorange Corporation annually produces hundreds of thousands of bottles of Ardbeg whiskey. To store these products, five huge warehouses were built. From year to year, the popularity of this brand is growing. In 2008, the title "Best Whiskey of the Year" received "Ardbeg" ten-year exposure. In 2009, the palm passed to his brother - Ardbeg Uigeadail. This second word, which many distributors translate as “Guessed,” actually means Lake Oogadal. This reservoir serves as a source on which the entire Ardbeg distillery production is based. In Gaelic, “guessed” means “mystical and dark place.” The brand was born in 2003. Everyone knows how important water quality is in whiskey production. The “mystical” lake deserved to be immortalized in the name of a branded drink.
How Ardbeg is made
The international company "Glenmoorzh" spent about one and a half million pounds on the renovation of the equipment of the distillery. She bought three vats from the Oregon pine, carried out a thorough reconstruction of distillers. But the old factory itself is located in the same place. And the Ardbeg whiskey production process has remained traditional. As is customary in Scotland, single malt alcohols are used for the drink. Barley of the best varieties is scattered on a flat surface and turned several times a day. In the humid air of the coast, absorbing iodine and sea salt, the grain begins to germinate. This malt is then dried in smoke from smoldering peat. So he gains the characteristic aroma of "smoked". Then the malt goes to the distillation cube, where it interacts with special peat water from Lake Oogadal. And then the resulting alcohols ripen for several years in French oak barrels, where bourbon or sherry was previously stored.
General characteristics of Ardbeg whiskey
Reviews call this brand the most “smoky”, the most “peaty” one. After fumigation of malt and soaking in the waters of Lake Oogadal, the maximum concentration of phenol compounds accumulates in this drink. If we compare "Ardbeg" with other varieties of whiskey, then this figure reaches 50 ppm, while the other 20-40 ppm. Thanks to phenolic compounds, the drink has such a characteristic taste and aroma that cannot be confused with any other brand. Ardbeg is a typically male whiskey. It has a slightly sweet spicy taste. The aroma of the drink takes you to the shore of the North Sea: the wind seems to blow over your face with salt spray and carries the smell of algae. This whiskey has a long and powerful peat aftertaste with a distinct haze aroma. A glass of Ardbeg blends perfectly with a cigar.
Whiskey "Ardbeg" 10 years: reviews
The distillery produces several types of products. Let's consider some of them. The most common spill that can be easily found in Russian wine boutiques is the ten-year-old Ardbeg. It is available in a capacity of 750 milliliters. A stylish bottle with the engraved letter “A” and the number 1815 (the year of the legal launch of the distillery) costs five thousand rubles. Amber liquid lurks behind the green glass. The taste of this whiskey is quite dense, buttery. It combines astringency and sweetness. There is a lot of peat haze in the aftertaste. The drink has a multi-faceted complex aroma with notes of cinnamon and chocolate. Reviews are advised to enjoy it as a digestif - in its purest form, with an ice cube or with a cigar. The strength of a 10-year-old drink is 46%.
Ardbeg Corrivrekan
This is a more expensive drink, although it has as many years of aging. A 700-ml bottle in a gift box costs almost seven thousand rubles. This drink is less strong than regular Ardbeg 10 whiskey. The reviews say that you should not blindly trust the figures of 57.1% on the package - the drink can turn your head. This single malt whiskey is produced according to traditional Scottish technology, that is, without cold filtration. Alcohols ripen for ten years in Limousin oak barrels. The amber drink has an intense aroma of dark chocolate, blackcurrant and nutmeg with a touch of pine cones. The notes of espresso coffee, dried fruits and almonds merged in taste. This whiskey has a wonderful long finish. In the aftertaste, the reviews noticed notes of cherry, chocolate and pepper sauce.
Ardbeg Oogadal
Now we’ll taste the most “mystical” whiskey. Ardbeg Oogadal also costs about eight thousand rubles for a 700-milliliter bottle. The strength of this drink is 54.2%. Despite the fact that “the best whiskey of 2009” was named for the lake, which feeds the distillery with water, the sea is most felt in its aroma. The storm, which rolls ashore and carries the smells of salt and iodine, mixes in the most bizarre way with aromatic peat smoke and juicy fruits. The taste of the drink also guesses proximity to the sea. Barrels of sherry and bourbon, in which the alcohols matured, were very saturated with a salty wind. Reviews say that in a long finish you can feel ripe autumn fruits mixed with smoke.
"Ardbeg" in world culture
This brand has become a real style icon among whiskey lovers. This drink has several tens of spills. This is mainly single malt whiskey. But Ardbeg is also part of blended distillates such as Black Battle, Teachers and Balantin. This drink is with a complex masculine character. Some of its spills are sold only to members of the club created in 1945. Due to the elitism of Ardbeg whiskey (the price for a bottle ranges from five to several tens of thousands of rubles) it often appears on large screens. So, Harry Pearce, the protagonist of the British television series Ghosts, often appears with an easily recognizable bottle. And the actor Keanu Reeves, having reincarnated as John Constantine in the film of the same name, relishes it together with investigator Dodson.