Visiting the home of Ardbeg

The last stop of our week in Islay and the perfect way to end it. Touring Ardbeg it quickly became apparent just how small they are in comparison to the others - going from strength to strength though as they expand production 😁
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This video is intended for people of legal drinking age only. Observe the alcohol laws in your country!

[@CharlesRobitaille514]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ ARDBEG !!!!!!! My favorite is the Uigeadail !!!!!! Fantastic whisky !!!

[@WhiskyShared]

Every distillery needs a good storyteller. Looks like you had a good visit.

[@WhiskyGeek]

Yeah Ron had a lot of stories to tell! Good guy & good tour 🥃👍

[@ScotchTestDummies]

Very nice Ben. I can still smell Islay and Ardbeg from when we were there!

[@WhiskyGeek]

I've really enjoyed revisiting these and remembering the smells & feeling of the place. Cannot wait to go back! Cheers Gents 🥃👍

[@BetterDoYourHomeWork]

GREAT video!

[@yagmurergul5596]

Thanks mate.

[@greigmartin4339]

i remember Ron from last years visit. probably the best guide ive had on any distillery tour and someone who you know actually drinks the stuff and isnt just there for a bit of summer work experience - it makes all the difference. he is ardbeg through and through. at the end of the day we all love islay whiskies, some more than others but you get the impression talking to Ron that behind the veneer of "all for one and one for all" impression islay gives off there is a sense of rivalry between them. i remember this same conversation about the two different ways of measuring pppm and its the only place ive heard it discussed was in that very room. ive tried to maintain an open mind about octomore but that information from Ron has always been in the back of my mind talking me out of it whenever ive picked up a bottle and looked at the price... i have never bothered to look any further into it mind you. sad that this is the last islay vid Ben but applaud the hard work putting these all together - superb stuff!!

[@WhiskyGeek]

Yeah Ron was a fun guy & great guide! I picked up on something similar at a few of the distilleries - it seemed that Bruichladdich's "we're the only true Islay whisky" marketing is getting a lot of peoples backs up. Each Octomore I have tried to date has just seemed kind of gimmicky to me, certainly not warranting the asking price. It would be interesting to pop them in a blind line up with some of the Port Charlotte and other Islay offerings to see how they fair. I seem to have enjoyed the PC's a lot more myself. Unfortunately I won't be paying those steep prices just to do such an experiment! Thanks Tomato Yoshi - I do need to go back some time to do the Bunnahabhain and Bruichladdich warehouse demo's, and see Ardnahoe 😉🥃👍

[@greigmartin4339]

@@WhiskyGeek you will always find a reason to go back. im hoping to get back over to do the lagavulin warehouse demo before iain macarthur retires.

[@christopherdavid446]

Great video Ben. I really have been enjoying your distillery tour videos. Ardbeg is on my bucket list to visit. I also have been holding off on the 19 Year. Here in the states, it is $300 USD. Pretty steep.

[@WhiskyGeek]

Oof that's a steep asking price. I'd love to give it a try but that's more than I've spent on any bottle to date! Glad you're enjoying them as I've got 5 more recorded & waiting to be edited together 😜👍

[@TheDailyHayes]

Another wonderful video. I am becoming a connoisseur of Islay whisky as I have tasted almost every product from Islay since completing the construction of my bar. Ardbeg Uigeadail is my favorite followed by Ardbeg 10, Kilchoman Sanaig and Lagavulin 16 and 11. The distinctive peat of Islay is the attraction. I am considering a visit to Islay in the near future with a few individuals that I have introduced the finer spirits of Islay to. Your video of Lagavulin is one of my favorites. I hope you have many, many more trips to Scotland and beyond. Good luck and good fortune.

[@orion2250]

The Corryvrekan is my next purchase..that dram is a magical thing

[@duanejameslarge9920]

Ben, a nice overview of the Ardbeg Distillery on Islay ~ my Whisky Heaven 😇 on Earth ! I see that you had Ron G., a fixture at Ardbeg, as your guide for the tour and tasting. I would like to be a stowaway in the Chairman's Study some time and sample several of those bottles on the shelves 😂! I was there on 4 April, about 3 weeks after your visit, and they still had a few bottles of the Drum CR left on the shelves and I was able to sample it. When I returned a week later for my next visit, the Drum CR bottles were all gone. Fortunately, I had a bottle waiting for me back in the U.S. that I was able to buy when I returned home. Cheers 🥃!

[@WhiskyGeek]

How frequently do you get to visit Islay? I need to find a job that will take me out there 😉 Ron was great, good dose of humour and info. Wasn't phased by the regular interruptions either which were driving me mad haha. Have you opened your Drum CR yet? Ron suggested trying it warmed up to hand temperature too 👍 Cheers Duane 🥃😁

[@duanejameslarge9920]

Whisky Geek Hi Ben, I have been on a bit of an Islay travel ✈️ binge lately 😁! My trip in October will be my 5th visit in 24 months. Therefore, I have been able to get to know many of the locals. Regarding the the Drum CR, I sampled it twice while at Ardbeg in April but I have not yet opened my bottle. I have opened one of my regular Drum bottles that I bought on Ardbeg Day in June. Cheers 🥃!

[@Cary_Shultz]

New subscriber (as of this moment) and a devout Bourbon drinker. Have dabbled with Irish Whiskey and Canadian Whisky.....thinking that I might take the dive into Scotch now (long story....wont bore anyone with the "why" as to why I have not yet...). Strongly considering an Ardberg to be my first so this was absolutely amazing (time-wise and content-wise). Thanks, man! Winston-Salem, NC - put us on your map! We here!

[@WhiskyGeek]

Haha thanks Cary! Ardbeg is a ballzy first step! There's a lot more to Scotch than the peaty & smoky, although if that appeals to you then you could be hooked for life 👍 Perhaps a trip to a decently stocked bar to let you have a relatively cheap glimpse at the different styles might help you see where you want to spend your cash? 🥃👍

[@scottthomas4779]

I've been thinking hard about trying ardbeg myself. I think I'm gonna go for it. Btw I'm in mcdowell county N.C so cheers neighbor 🥃

[@Cary_Shultz]

@@scottthomas4779 NICE! Near Asheville....love that area of NC. I have since (since my initial comment was some two years ago) enjoyed some good Scotch Wiskies. If you are ever going to be in Davidson County (I moved from Forsyth County one year ago) give a shout. We can go to Winston-Salem....there is a GREAT Bourbon Bar downtown. Not a lot in Lexington, NC (where I am now).

[@foodquig]

Great job on this one, Ben!I was on the grounds, but the distillery didn't have a tour going on the day when I was there only two weeks after your visit... Maybe next time!

[@WhiskyGeek]

Oh that's disappointing! Hadn't your tour operators booked ahead? Next time you go they will probably have finished all the expansion! 😁👍

[@foodquig]

@@WhiskyGeek I imagine the tour company booked ahead but for one reason or another it didn't work out... We were supposed to do Bruichladddich, but that didn't work out either so instead we went to Bunnahabhain, which the tour doesn't usually visit, as our guide was telling me. So all in all we got to visit five of the nine distilleries, leaving out Caol Ila, Bruichladdich, Ardbeg and Ardnahoe...

[@ronanmcconnellable]

Ron did a tasting with a group of us this weekend and he was fantastic, in fact all the team in the shop too were just brilliant. Great experience!

[@WhiskyGeek]

I'm not jealous at all... 😉 Honestly can't wait to get back to Islay! Did you visit the other distilleries too? Cheers Ronan 🥃👍

[@ronanmcconnellable]

@@WhiskyGeek Laphroaig and Lagavulin. Laphoraig was beautiful sipping away at quarter cask by the bay, and Lagavulin had some quailty tasting flight options that included Caol Isla. Both excellent experiences but Ardbeg trumped it with the food truck outside and all. you could spend all day there. At Ardbeg I bought a 19 year old for my yet to be born child and they let me taste it at the shop, incredible experience. Bought a Corryvrekan too so now i have all their core lineup plus a 19 year old, which i'll hide in the attic!

[@deeshmond]

Man, I’ve gotta make a trip to Islay

[@neildonaghy123]

The promised land. Hopefully going in July

[@TheBlimp56]

Another interesting and well produced video Ben.

[@WhiskyGeek]

Thanks Bill, really enjoyed this one 😁👍

[@RedboRF]

awesome tour, but those burger boomers who can't lister the tour guide are absolutely vile and must have been thrown from the nearest cliff.

[@mendipfox1650]

Great review. I never knew the story surrounding the Serendipity bottling. Did you manage to get a bottle of the Ardbeg 19 Traigh Bhan?

[@WhiskyGeek]

Yeah Ron had loads of Ardbeg stories to share! I'm probably gonna pass on the 19 at that price, unless I come across a sample that justifies the cost. Considerably more than most available 18/19 year olds!

[@mendipfox1650]

Whisky Geek yeah. I certainly agree. I did hesitate initially for 15 minutes, but after a good think I decided to buy one. Lucky, as it sold out in 23 minutes on Ardbeg.com. Looking forward to trying it. Aged Ardbeg is truly unique.

[@WhiskyGeek]

Yeah I've heard a lot of good stuff about the 'twenty somethings', if this is close to as good as them then you shouldn't be disappointed!

[@fabiolafermi]

grazie from Italy

[@WhiskyGeek]

Cheers Fabiola! 🥃👍

[@whiskyfreedom8494]

Thanks Ben. Great video. They’ve got beef with Bruichladdich then. Honestly not sure if I trust what Ardbeg says anymore.

[@WhiskyGeek]

It seemed to be a recurring theme, Bruichladdich have kind of taken a marketing line which seeks to undermine the other distilleries as much as to set themselves apart. Take the section "THE AWKWARD TRUTH" on their website for example: "For too long Islay has been exploited by those seeking to trade on the cachet of its name. It’s become a badge to add credibility and value, with increasingly fragile links to the the reality of the island. Islay has become a flavour profile not a provenance, with distillers importing barley from outside Scotland, then shipping spirit off the island to mature in undisclosed mainland warehouses. What does it really mean to be an Islay single malt? To us it means commitment to Islay, investment in place and people, it means that everything must happen here, on the island and in the community. The whisky must be a true expression of the land, the culture, the people. Port Charlotte single malt is the antidote to convenience and market manipulation." This is a tad ironic coming from a distillery that gets its barley malted and peated in the Highlands on the other side of Scotland using Highland peat - the key contributor to Islay's distinct flavour profile and they're importing it from the other side of the country! It was mentioned in several of the distilleries and by a couple of ex-employees that they are ostracising themselves and trying to undermine the rest. Don't really 'mesh' with the Islay community. I think it's a point of interest; I'd love to see the facts and studies behind the claims here and behind Bruichladdich's PPM claims. All I can vouch for is that I've never found Port Charlotte or Octomore to be ~that~ peaty and certainly don't find it sits within Islay peat characteristics. All that being said, I clearly like what they're making! I just become increasingly frustrated with marketing spin 🤔

[@whiskyfreedom8494]

I think I go the other way Ben. I don’t think Bruichladdich are spinning. I think they are calling out the BS from some of the other Islay distilleries. They are the largest employer on the island and surely the most transparent to customers. Agree that their decision to use Highland peat seems odd. Ardbeg is pure spin right now. Ardbeg Drum was hype over substance and how is the 19yr ‘small batch’? Lagavulin feels hollow. I think Bruichladdich, Bunna and Kilchoman stand out from the others right now.

[@WhiskyGeek]

Interesting take on it. Ardbeg are definitely guilty of a great deal of marketing spin but Bruichladdich seem to be leading the pack when it comes to marketing and PR - for the good & opportunistic stuff they've done as well as the rest. I've been a touch dubious of anything they put out other than fact since trying the early "heavily peated" expressions and Octomore's claiming to be the most heavily peated in the world. It all seemed a tad gimmicky and shallow. I'm also skeptical of the 'ozone' flavour they quote as coming from aging on Islay as in my experience it isn't affected by length of maturation but is noticeably amplified by an increase in ABV and was very noticeable in the air when standing on the deck above their stills! I think I saw your query to Ardbeg on Twitter with regards to the 19 ... struck me as an excuse to embrace their batch discrepancies and try to give the avid collectors another series to seek out! I'd definitely agree with that - I'm all for full disclosure and more info to geek out over! Will be interesting to see how Ardnahoe choose to bottle their spirit when they get to it, I'm hoping along the lines of the 3 you've listed 👍

[@johell999]

Are those mini/half size of glencairn glasses with Ardbeg logo on them?

[@WhiskyGeek]

Yeah I actually prefer them to the full-sized Glencairns! Quite a few distilleries seem to use them, have got Lagavulin, Dalwhinnie & Kilchoman too 🥃👍

[@johell999]

@@WhiskyGeek I'm so jealous. I'm a die hard Ardbeg fan boy. And I rock a mini size glencarin from Uban Bar. I can't seem to find any mini/half size glencairn glasses with distillery logo on it in the state. 😢

[@dub_7968]

What did you think of the Perpetuum ? Ive heard a lot of mixed reviews on that one.

[@WhiskyGeek]

I wasn't overly impressed to be honest. It wasn't bad by any means but I'd rather have had a dram of the Ten! They're trying their hardest to use it up - the peppercorn sauce in the cafe was made using it and that was excellent 😜👍 Think I mention it in my video: "Next stop: Islay!" when we eat lunch there.

[@dub_7968]

@@WhiskyGeek that 10 is my "go to" scotch !! (im kind of an ardbeg fanboy) / been getting every years special release since dark cove (2016), & its been pretty hard to not buy the Perpetuum since it IS a rare bottle & theres still one left in my area. At the end of the day, i guess it doesnt matter how "collectible" a bottle is if the scotch insides isnt really that good. (kinda like the Clynelish Game of Thrones). lots of hype/hard to get/not that good. Thanks for the reply man, guess ill hold off on that one for now. & keep these videos coming, theyre really good !!

[@WhiskyGeek]

Yeah marketing spin can really muddy the waters! The 10 year old is a bit of a gem to be honest - recently picked up a replacement bottle for £37 👍 Cheers Dub _, I've got plenty more in the works just need to get my head straight again, 2 month old and car accident currently have me a bit messed up!

[@pow4155]

Hi Ben! Did that guy just said that Bruichladdich doesn't measure malt for Octomore by themselves? He said, it is not possible to reach 120 ppm? So how Bruichladdich claims 300+ ppm for some releases? That's weird... Just thinking...

[@WhiskyGeek]

I don't know what quality checks they do but all barley is malted & peated near Inverness for Bruichladdich at the moment using highland peat not Islay peat. They are working towards opening their own malting floors where they will use Islay peat soon though - I'm really excited to see the changes in place as it should make a big difference! Most distilleries use a particular measurement method to get a PPM measurement (high performance liquid chromatography) but according to the tests done by LVMH (the group that owns Ardbeg) the PPM measurements of Bruichladdichs peated malt aren't anywhere near what they claim when using that method, leading them to believe that Bruichladdich are using an alternate method of measurement making it non-comparable to other Islay whiskies. This explains a lot in my opinion as the peaty tones in most Octomore or Port Charlotte's I've tried are quite dry, ashy and subdued - they're amplified by the solvent heat of the spirit and ozone character brought by maturation which people often mistake for peaty smoke or maritime flavours. When Ardbeg/LVMH did their own tests using the industry standard methods of measurement they found it was impossible to go over 120-125 PPM as the barley was fully saturated at that point. Interesting, controversial and political as Ron said, but certainly makes a lot of sense. Bruichladdich have caused some friction on Islay through their "most peaty" and "only real Islay whisky" marketing tacts whilst not even using Islay peat or industry standard measurements to define their peat influence.

[@pow4155]

@@WhiskyGeek hm... i've just read in "Whisky Island: A Portrait of Islay and its whiskies" that in 2003 Bruichladdich bought barley from Bairds with 76.5 ppm measured using colorimetric analysis but when that same barley was measured by Tatlock&Thomson using HPLC it is appeared that there is not less then 300.5ppm. That becomes even weirder... And finally new make had 46.4 ppm.

[@WhiskyGeek]

Hmm sounds even more convoluted. I think part of the issue may be that they 'dilute' the heavily peated malt with unpeated malt so what actually makes it into the mash tun may be a bit different. For Port Charlotte certainly but Octomore (which is what we're really talking about) they may just use the heavily peated on its own. I think the more important thing is what level of peat can actually be carried forward to the washbacks & stills. LVMH's tests seemed to show that anything over 120-125 PPM was superficial (surface residue) which just got washed away. Either way - proofs in the pudding (or whisky)! 😁🥃👍

[@treytison1444]

It's because different distilleries use different methods of measuring. A reading at one distillery will be somewhere completely different on the scale if tested at another distillery. There is no standard so comparing scotches based on their claimed PPM is meaningless.

[@criell-sdkwhisky8674]

Thanks for the vid, that was interesting. So basically they are saying that bruichladdich are liers?

[@WhiskyGeek]

Hmm, that's dangerously close to slander 😜 I think their point really is that not all PPM measurements are comparable. For me the more important point is that they're not using Islay peat! Not at the moment anyway - they have plans to go that way 👍 Glad you enjoyed 🥃😁

[@criell-sdkwhisky8674]

@@WhiskyGeek I dont care much for numbers, in the end its all about the flavours as most people would agree. But I cant help to think... according to this guy, B:s measurments are at least 200 ppm off :)

[@WhiskyGeek]

Definitely, I've always thought the phenolic PPM measurement prior to distillation is pretty irrelevant anyway as the design of the stills controls how much of that actually makes it through to the spirit. Bruichladdich reckon they lose 2/3rds of the phenols through distillation, so a starting point of 45 for a Port Charlotte actually becomes pretty soft by the time it makes it to the bottle! But again, these numbers don't account for flavour - and peat is so widely varied and characterful that no PPM measurement is going to really capture anything meaningful. Laphroaig's wet & oily peat holds very bold and distinct flavours which highland peat for example just cannot compete with! As you say, in the end it's all about the flavours 🥃👍

[@EthanSmith]

Who's Duane?

[@kresimirjelcic576]

Hi Ben, in the begining of the tour he said he could that his record was 33 people were able to fit in the room, looking at the tasting room how many of those 33 were not able to enter and taste the whisky?😉

[@WhiskyGeek]

Haha, either they were all standing and getting very friendly with each other or most of them must have been in the cafe! It was definitely cozy 😜

[@alexanderfederer7515]

How much does a whiskey cost?

[@WhiskyGeek]

The tours were ~£15 which included a few whiskies at the end, or there were others available in the cafe I think but I can't remember any prices for them. The haggis, tatties & neeps I had for lunch came with a dram of the Ardbeg Perpetuum which was reasonably priced and a great meal!

[@ThePyklet]

That's a lot of committee release Drum on the shelf.

[@ThePyklet]

Ahh, it was late March when you went.

[@WhiskyGeek]

Yeah we timed it well just by chance! They were packaging them up to send out constantly when we were there

[@ardbegcam8875]

Great tour of our incredible home! for more Ardbeg subscribe to my page!!

[@kevinmrn]

Why does he keep saying Glenmorangie, its LVMH ...