Founded: 1815 (ESTABLISHED FACT) Location: Islay, Scotland Founder: John McDougall (some sources: Alexander MacDougall)
Founded in 1815 on Islay’s south coast, Ardbeg has a history of closures and reopenings. It was mothballed in 1981, had intermittent production through the 1990s, and was acquired and reopened by Glenmorangie (LVMH) in 1997. Ardbeg is among the peatiest Islay malts, known for its intense smoke balanced by surprising sweetness. (source: Wikipedia)
Signature style: Intensely peaty and smoky, with pepper, lemon, vanilla, and an underlying sweetness that balances the smoke.
Famous expressions: Ardbeg 10, Ardbeg Uigeadail, Ardbeg Corryvreckan, Ardbeg An Oa.
Trivia: Ardbeg sends experiments to the International Space Station to study microgravity’s effects on whisky maturation (2011 onward). — ESTABLISHED FACT