Brought to you by Anne-Sophie Bigot - Whisky Expert
Did you know that there was a whisky experiment conducted in outer space? That’s right, Ardbeg Distillery has a lot to be proud of and one of their many accomplishments was launching the first whisky experiment in space. But who is Ardbeg and what’s their story? Keep reading to find out why this distillery was selected by our experts to have its own special auction at Catawiki.
A Brief History
Ardbeg is located on the south coast of the small Scottish island Islay and was founded as a commercial distillery in 1815, although they had been distilling since 1798. The distillery closed in 1981 and devastated the local community as jobs were lost. Two years later distilling resumed on a small scale, but they closed a second time in 1991. Full-time production resumed in 1997 just one year later, Ardbeg was voted distillery of the year. After the initial ups and downs, the distillery continues to run strong producing fantastic products and earning the title of world whisky of the year in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible for 3 consecutive years.
What it Means to be “Peaty”
Ardbeg whisky is one of the most peated in all of Scotland, but what exactly does it mean for a whisky to be peaty? Well first let’s examine what exactly peat is. In the simplest of terms, peat is decomposing plant material that’s built up in a watery area. These areas are known as “peat bogs”, but it’s not the water in the peat bog that give the whisky it’s peaty flavour, it’s the peat itself. So how does the peaty flavour get into the whisky? By burning it. Distillers dry their barley over a peat fire for some 30 hours (although drying times may vary) and this gives the final product a smoky flavour.
Whisky in Space
Perhaps one of the most interesting products to come out of Ardbeg was the first whisky experiment in space. Micro organic compounds were launched into space in 2011 and stayed aboard the International Space Station as an experiment to test gravity’s effect on maturation. The experiment touched down safely in Kazakhstan in September 2014 and one year later the results of the experiment were released.
Reaping the Benefits
Due to the fact that the distillery belongs to LVMH, who also owns Glenmorangie, Ardbeg's whisky benefits from Glenmorangie's experiments and expertise in maturation strategies (a modern approach to wood). The result is whisky exceptional enough to not only earn several awards, but also a dedicated auction at Catawiki. To help you shop, our whisky experts have shared their favourite Ardbeg drams.
1959 25 Years Old Sherry Wood Cadenhead Dumpy
1974 Provenance 55.0%,
1967 Kingsbury Cask #922
1976 Cask #2390 (bottled for Feis Ile 2002)
We hope we’ve whetted your appetite. Curious to know what distillery we’ll feature next? Keep checking our whisky auctions to find out. Interested in selling your own bottles? Our experts would love to see what you have to offer! You can sign up to start selling here.