Ardbeg distilled in 1974, from casks #4375/77, bottled at 43% ABV by the independent bottler Signatory Vintage. It is peated Islay malt from the years before the distillery's long closure in the 1980s.
About This Whisky
Signatory Vintage bottled these 1974 Ardbeg casks together in the early 1990s at 43%. Whisky from this period was made before the upheavals of the following decade, and old Ardbegs from the mid-1970s are widely regarded for their mix of peat smoke, citrus and waxy texture. At 43% it is gentler than cask strength, which lets the fruit and old oak sit alongside the smoke rather than behind it.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Soft peat smoke, lemon oil, tar and seaweed, with beeswax and a medicinal note.
- Palate: Coastal and oily, with smoke, citrus peel, malt, black pepper and brine over mature oak.
- Finish: Mineral and persistent, ending on ash, lemon and dry spice.
Serving & Food
Pour neat at room temperature into a Glencairn and give it time; water is rarely needed at this strength. Serve with smoked salmon on rye, freshly shucked oysters, or a strong blue cheese such as Roquefort.
How to Enjoy
Lovers of old-style Islay peat, and collections of pre-closure Ardbeg.
Product Details
Distillery: Ardbeg
Distillery location: Ardbeg, south coast of Islay, Scotland
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Vintage: 1974
Age: 18 years
Casks: #4375/77
Region: Islay, Scotland
Volume: 700mL
ABV: 43%
Country: Scotland
About the Distillery
Ardbeg stands on Islay's south coast; its name comes from the Gaelic for 'small promontory'. Commercial distilling began there in 1815, and for most of its history the whisky went into blends.
Hiram Walker took over the distillery, then production stopped in 1981. It resumed on a small scale in 1989 and ran at a low level until late 1996. Glenmorangie plc bought and reopened Ardbeg in 1997, and has itself belonged to LVMH since 2004. Ardbeg now runs four stills after a new still house was completed in 2021.