Ardbeg Distillery — Attraction in Islay

Best Distillery I have been to. Fantastic staff, great cafe, clean loo's and the best Whisky on the planet. The shop has a lot more to offer than the other distillerys we visited. Generous on the tastings and they understand what they are making..

Whisky: everyone has there favourites but in my opinion Ardbeg is the best single malt Whisky on the market, the standard 10 year old is just wonderful, complex and deep, and a good price. Others in there range are special. Ardbeg Uigeadail is probably the best commonly avaliable Whisky on the market, to beat it, you neec to spend serious money. And had been voted the best Whisky on the planet by some. A must try.

Shop on site at Ardbeg Distillery. Filled with a nice array of Ardbeg, some Distilleries only have 3 or 4 different whiskys on offer but Ardbeg is pretty generous with there range, on the day we went they had about 12+ different Ardbegs to purchase. And all were avaliable to sampke, then there was a load of other historic bottles to sample as well. Amazing. Never seen this before..

Other merchandise is on offer and again is generous on the amount and variety, from pin badges, jackets, to dog collars and a very reasonable shot glass at £2.50. Most prices where either equal to or lower than the other Distilleries on Islay.

Cafe. Really nice quality, 4 cups of tea, 2 speciality on pies and a soft drink came to £23.00. And the pies were VERY nice!

Tour. I booked myself on the wrong tour, totally my fault. I was on the taster tour but as I was driving so I had to cancel, (I know, you don't have to say anything, but I could not get out of driving on the day) they were fine with me cancelling. It was the last tour of the day otherwise I would have swoped. The guy we spoke to about this was amazing and really tried to make it up to me. Staff in general were all fun, polite and great to deal with.

In short. Although I am a little bias, as I love the Whisky, the whole Distillery is way beyond what I experienced in the other distilleries, which I also loved, but Ardbeg was an experience not just a shop.. I will be returning... And bring somone else to...

A powerhouse of peat and personality — Ardbeg never disappoints!

Ardbeg Distillery is everything you want from an Islay whisky experience — bold, smoky, quirky, and unforgettable. Tucked along the southern coast of the island, the distillery’s setting is stunning, with views out over the sea and that unmistakable smell of peat in the air the moment you arrive.

You get a real look at the craft behind the whisky, and the on-site warehouses and still house are a treat to explore.

And then there’s the whisky. Ardbeg is unapologetically peaty, but it’s never one-dimensional. The 10 Year Old is a smoky classic — bold, briny, and beautifully balanced. If you get to try expressions like Uigeadail, Corryvreckan, or any of their limited releases, you're in for a masterclass in intensity and complexity.

The visitor centre and café (the Old Kiln Café) are excellent too — great food, great service, and plenty of exclusive bottlings to take home. The distillery also embraces its unique brand personality, with a touch of fun and irreverence that sets it apart.

Ardbeg is a must-visit for peat lovers — bold whisky, incredible views, and a distillery that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but takes its whisky very...

Stopped in for lunch...and what a lunch it was.

(1) The food was amazing. Smoked haddock chowder and scallops entree. The absolute best lunch I have ever eaten. The soup was decadent with large fish pieces. The scallops were seared perfectly and the sauce has a very small amount of yellow mustard taste. I was stunned. Yellow mustard! But it was shockingly perfect.

(2) The gift shop is nice and combines with the tasting area. The welcome dram turned into a few "just a taste" pours. The variety of expressions here is almost overwhelming. I highly recommend talking with the staff about your preferences and letting them make recommendations. Our hostess was very knowledgeable, even about past releases and how their expressions compared to other Islay distilleries. Had we simply ordered a flight and sat down we would have truly missed out.

(3) Size and setting. This place looks like they are ready to host a very large party outside. A food truck and plenty of patio tables. I wish I could be here when that...