Port Ellen, Isle of Islay , PA42 7EA, Scotland
Tel: +44 1496 302 236
Fax: +44 1496 302 020
A sense of Islay
Martine Nouet takes a scent and taste tour of whisky's most famous island as a preview for the forthcoming Islay Whisky Festival 2002
May 2002, Issue 22, page 30
An old con
Dave Broom exposes the shady side of the antique, collectable whisky market
January 2003, Issue 28, page 16
Ardbeg for more!
Martine Nouet reminisces about a trip to Islay and the culinary delights she found there, in the surprising shape of the old kiln cafe and Ardbeg distillery
February 2002, Issue 21, page 62
Ask the expert
A few months ago we started the renovation of an old house that we bought some time ago.
In the basement we found a wooden box with several old bottles of whisky. I made a phone call to a whisky and ...
December 2007, Issue 68, page 35
Class Acts
The search starts again to find the cream of the crop in the whisky world. In the first of three voting heats, we reveal the winners of the Scottish round.
September 2011, Issue 98, page 6
Icons of Whisky 2009
Following months of debate,scrutiny and several
exhaustive rounds of voting,we finally reveal who has topped the Whisky Magazine charts.
February 2009, Issue 78, page 15
Join the debate
Age concerns
With much interest I have read your editorial and Dave's column in WM 89. In both your writings Chivas Brothers gets (most of) the blame for putting too much emphasis on the stated age on...
September 2010, Issue 90, page 70
Journey from hell to reach whisky heaven (Bushmills)
Stuart Maclean Ramsay embarks on a perilous pilgrimage to Bushmills, home of the world's oldest distillery, in an attempt to find out why, after visiting , some people talk of reincarnation and spirit...
April 2001, Issue 15, page 24
On Islay every day's a festival
The Islay festival starts on May 27th. We decided to host a pre-festival dinner on the island and invited all the distilleries. Dominic Roskrow reports
April 2005, Issue 47, page 30
Scotch whisky Big in Japan
Marcin Miller captures the spirit of the Far East, where Scotch malt whisky is revered and there is no indigenous whisky publication to indulge the passion of the many Japanese Malt enthusiasts
February 2001, Issue 14, page 58
spy
Fit for heroes
Former Secretary General of NATO, Lord Robertson, returned recently to his home island of Islay and the Ardbeg Distillery to receive a special bottling of Ardbeg on behalf of the ex-Se...
July 2010, Issue 89, page 6
There's something about Mary
If you visit Islay you have to try the cooking of Mary McKecknie and the outstanding visitor centre at Ardbeg Distillery. Richard Jones reports
January 2006, Issue 53, page 44
Whisky Magazine Icons of Whisky 2013
After many months of debate, scrutiny and four rounds
of voting, Whisky Magazine's international panel of
judges has finally settled on the winners. Here we
reveal who has scooped the coveted Global I...
March 2013, Issue 110, page 39
Whisky's women
Whisky's longevity can be credited to the efforts of many hard working people. Gavin D Smith lists nine successful women who are currently working hard to secure whisky's future.
February 2001, Issue 14, page 26
Whisky Magazine Issue 98
Icons of whisky Scotland Winners unveiled - Independent Bottlers Challenge Results - Cameronbridge - Whisky Magazine Photographic Challenge 2011 and much more....
Published September 2011.
Whisky Magazine Issue 90
Music Special - Ailsa Bay - Independent Bottlers' Challenge and much more....
Published September 2010.
Whisky Magazine Issue 89
Woodford Reserve - US micro distilleries - Glenlivet - WIN Four Days at Bowmore and much more....
Published July 2010.
Whisky Magazine Issue 78
Icons of Whisky 2009 - Edradour - Bill Lumsden - Three Glens - Southern Ireland - Evan Williams - The Dalmore & much more....
Published February 2009.
Whisky Magazine Issue 68
Lowland perfection - Auchentoshan - History of the cork - Premium whisky - Glenury Royal - Dewars - Makers Mark - Mash Tuns - Glenlivet - Ben Nevis - Inverleven - 40 whiskies tasted.
Published December 2007.
Whisky Magazine Issue 53
On the roll - How malt made social gambling cool - Visiting Speyside - Isle of Jura - Auchentoshan - George Washington - Russia's whisky elite - Lowland malts tasted.
Published January 2006.
Whisky Magazine Issue 47
Celebrating Speyside - New Island Distilleries - Best Distillery tours - Islay Festival - Whisky and Cigar Challenge - Forty Creek - Whisky liqueurs.
Published April 2005.
Whisky Magazine Issue 28
Berlin bars - William Teacher - Auchentoshan - Delme Evans.
Published January 2003.
Whisky Magazine Issue 22
Festival Previews - Collecting - Forsyth's - Caramel - 12 year olds tasting.
Published May 2002.
Whisky Magazine Issue 21
Whisky and art - Buying a cask - Brian Morrison - Rye Tasting.
Published February 2002.
Whisky Magazine Issue 15
Spirit of Ireland - Isle of Arran - Vintage Malts - Blackadder.
Published April 2001.
Whisky Magazine Issue 14
Women and Whisky - Old Pulteney - Vintage Malts - Brown Forman.
Published February 2001.
Scotch Malt Whisky Society 33.70 Ardbeg Keith Richards meets Socrates 1998 10 Years Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 57.30%
7 An effusively phenolic smouldering hulk. Recommended.
Ardbeg 10 Years Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 46.00%
8 Not from a particularly peaty period, but packed with Ardbeg's other flavours. Wonderfully distinctive.
Ardbeg 10 Years Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 46.00%
4 The same phenolic profile as in very young but more disciplined and rounder.
Ardbeg 17 Years Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 40.00%
8 Not the most muscular Ardbeg, but still robust.
Ardbeg 1975
Single Malt - Scotland - 58.10%
4 Ardbeg is one of my great favourites, and this is one of the best versions I have tasted recently.
Ardbeg 1976, Distillery Manager's Choice
Single Malt - Scotland - 56.00%
9 Real Ardbeg peatiness and smokiness.
Ardbeg 1976, Single Cask Committee bottling
Single Malt - Scotland - 51.00%
8 A 'no bones about it' Islay whisky, and a fine example of Ardbeg.
Ardbeg 1977
Single Malt - Scotland - 46.00%
9 Cleaner, more lemony and oily, and less assertive, than the 24 Years Old duty free edition.
Ardbeg 1980 Kildalton
Single Malt - Scotland - 57.60%
7 Where's the peat-smoke? Not very Islay.
Ardbeg 6 Years Old, Committee Bottling
Single Malt - Scotland - 58.90%
8 I like young Islays, but this hyperactive whisky is just too frisky. The flavours need time to meld. Even with those shortcomings, it is an Ardbeg…
Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist 1990 16 Years Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 46.00%
8 A welcome addition to the range.
Ardbeg Alligator
Single Malt - Scotland - 51.20%
8 A big islander, well structured and well balanced. Just a dash of water is
enough to enhance the flavours.
Ardbeg Almost There
Single Malt - Scotland - 54.00%
8 This is seamless stuff and despite the smokiness is unshowy. Only 9 Years Old? Great things are on their way.
Ardbeg Blasda 10 Year Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 40.00%
7 A delicate and rather charming afternoon (or 4am) dram. Will cause a stooshie though!
Ardbeg Corryvreckan
Single Malt - Scotland - 57.10%
8 Long,stylish and balanced. Highly recommended.
Ardbeg Lord of the Isles
Single Malt - Scotland - 46.00%
3 The less phenolic of all the Ardbeg tasted in this session. Merging with oak, phenols have developed an enticing and original bouquet.
Ardbeg Lord of the Isles, 25 Years Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 46.00%
8 Lots of flavour development, complexity and refinement. Very elegant, but where is the clamour of battle?
Ardbeg Lord of the Isles, 25 Years Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 46.00%
8 Becomes more complex with age. I admire its style, but hanker for the bravado of the younger Ardbegs.
Ardbeg Oloroso Finish, Cask 4704
Single Malt - Scotland - 47.20%
8 Nothing too elaborate here. Good honest Islay whisky. Have this with breakfast and you will live forever, or feel that way.
Ardbeg Provenance, 1974, 24 Years Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 55.60%
9 Rich and creamy, with huge flavour development.
Ardbeg Rennaissance
Single Malt - Scotland - 55.90%
8 Everything here has been reduced to elemental levels.
A nice circle completed.
Ardbeg Supernova
Single Malt - Scotland - 58.90%
8 Has considerable character. Fresh, young but for peat freaks only.
Ardbeg Supernova 2010
Single Malt - Scotland - 60.10%
8 A head-cleaning experience. Not for the fainthearted.
Ardbeg Uigeadail
Single Malt - Scotland - 54.20%
8 The elemental opposite of the sophisticated Lord of the Isles.
Ardbeg Very Young
Single Malt - Scotland - 58.30%
4 great interplay of sweet and dry flavours. More phenolic at start, smoke is more integrated than in Bowmore or Caol Ila.
Connoisseur's Choice Ardbeg 1974
Single Malt - Scotland - 43.00%
8 Less boisterous than The Young One. The calm of maturity permits all the nuances to be experienced.
Connoisseur's Choice Ardbeg 1990
Single Malt - Scotland - 40.00%
8 The palate seemed almost disappointingly cosy, but the wildness of Islay was recalled in the finish.
Douglas Laing Ardbeg 1992 12 Years Old, Rum Finish, Park Avenue Liquors
Single Malt - Scotland - 50.00%
8 With smoked salmon and a squeeze of lemon.
Master of Malt Ardbeg 18 Years Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 56.30%
8 ?Try describing ‘Islay' to someone who has never visited before. If they still don't get it, give them a dram of this.
Old Malt Cask Ardbeg 15 Years Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 50.00%
8 Too chimney-like for me. Lacks the balance between sweetness and dryness you need in such a peaty dram.
Old Malt Cask Ardbeg 24 Years Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 50.00%
8 Full of flavour and complexity, but less challenging than some Ardbegs. More peaty than the bottling reviewed among new releases. Some woodiness.
Old Malt Cask Ardbeg 28 Years Old, The Ardbeggeddon 1972, Sherry Cask
Single Malt - Scotland - 48.40%
8 One of the best Ardbegs I have ever tasted. Full range of the distillery's typical flavours, lyrically combined.

