Ardbeg releases ultra-rare whiskies reflecting history of closures

Ardbeg has released two historic whiskies called The Rollercoaster to highlight the highs and lows of the distillery’s past before it became a global Scotch powerhouse.

The two rare cask single malts include one from 1981 when it was feared the closed distillery may never re-open and one from 1989 when there a “hope-filled revivial”, the company said.

Founded in 1815, the distillery was in a “perilous state” during the Scotch whisky downturn of the 1980s when on 25 March 1981 its distillery and on-site maltings closed. For the next eight years, it remained in such a state, before re-opening under new ownership in October 1989.

Created just two weeks before the distillery’s closure, The Rollercoaster’s first whisky is from the last cask remaining from the stock of 1981. The 42-year-old bottling was created from a blend of heavily peated malt (up to 110ppm) from Ardbeg’s own malting floors, as well lightly peated malt, only used at the distillery for a very short period to create “Kildalton-style” Ardbeg. It is aged in bourbon casks, then transferred into a single Oloroso sherry cask for rich, spicy notes.

The second whisky from 1989 to signal the distillery’s revival is also one of the final casks from that year. Distilled on 6 December, just weeks after production restarted, it includes malt supplied by Islay’s Port Ellen Maltings.

The spirits has a lower peating level of 30-35ppm, and after an initial maturation in bourbon casks, it was re-racked into single refill bourbon casks for a subtle peated style.

The Rollercoaster name illustrates that this wasn’t the end of the journey for Ardbeg, as it closed again in 1996 but was saved only a year later.

CEO Caspar MacRae said: “From our Distillery’s most perilous low come two unrepeatable bottlings which take Ardbeg to new heights. Ardbeg The Rollercoaster shows just how far our Distillery has come since its uncertain past. Today, Ardbeg is one of the world’s most collectible whiskies. And as its fanbase continues to grow, we are more invested in our Distillery and our island community than ever before. We have built a new stillhouse to ensure the future of Ardbeg’s legendary smoky spirit, and we have recently invested in a well-known hotel on Islay, so we can create a world-class hospitality experience for residents and visitors alike. Here’s to the future of Ardbeg!”

Ardbeg’s Director of Whisky Creation, Dr Bill Lumsden, said: “Ardbeg The Rollercoaster is a unique opportunity for collectors to experience two very different tastes of Ardbeg’s heritage, and acquire a set of bottlings with an incredible story. The 1981 expression was made from some of the last malt ever to emerge from our maltings as Ardbeg teetered on the brink of closure. It is a beautiful combination of sweet and spicy sherried notes and hints of Ardbeg’s savoury side. Distilled soon after spirit flowed from the stills again, with a radically different malt, the 1989 is an equally singular Ardbeg. Classic notes of lime and vanilla combine with sea spray and very subtle, smoky tones. A snapshot of the contrasting spirits of those days, the time capsule whiskies of Ardbeg The Rollercoaster will go down in Ardbeg history.”

Whisky Expert and Writer, Charles Maclean, who tasted the whiskies with Dr Bill Lumsden, said: “The Rollercoaster’s two whiskies vividly embody the up-and-down fortunes of Ardbeg Distillery during the 1980s. With their rich historical provenance, intriguing stories and exceptional flavour, these rare, limited editions will be highly sought after by collectors.

“While these single malts are quite different to each other in taste and aroma, both are created from more lightly peated malt than the Ardbeg of today – and so have a gentler phenolic style. I find the 1981 whisky unusually mentholic and cooling, and the 1989 particularly elegant and reserved. Both are fascinating representations of highly significant years in Ardbeg’s history.”