Ardbeg has been hailed as Scotch whisky Producer of the Year at prestigious industry awards. The International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) celebrated Ardbeg for “redefining what it means to be an Islay malt”, praising its experimentalism and commitment to sustainability. This coveted award is further recognition for Ardbeg, whose youngest whisky Ardbeg Wee Beastie was also recently crowned Best Overall Scotch at the New York World Spirits Competition (NYWSC).
Distilled on the remote Scottish island of Islay for more than 200 years, Ardbeg has long been one of the most highly awarded of the Islay malts. At this year’s IWSC, an expert judging panel heaped more praise on the Distillery, awarding it their Producer of the Year trophy for Scotch as well as eight coveted gold medals. This sought-after trophy recognises Ardbeg’s expertise in creating whiskies that resonate around the world.
The IWSC triumph comes hot on the heels of Ardbeg’s success at the NYWSC. During the competition’s blind tastings, Ardbeg Wee Beastie, the youngest whisky in its core range, was named the leading Scotch, as well as Best Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – 12 Years or less.
On Ardbeg’s Producer of the Year award, the IWSC said: “With each release, Ardbeg continues to redefine what it means to be an Islay malt, bold yet thoughtful, experimental yet true to its origins.” Praising Ardbeg’s “integrity”, it called out recent experimental limited editions such as Ardbeg Eureka!, influenced by the Ardbeg’s fanbase, and Ardbeg Smokiverse – which emerged from trials with high-gravity mashing. The awards body added: “Each is rooted in curiosity, but always grounded in the sensory honesty of the liquid itself”.
Ardbeg’s dedication to Islay was also hailed by the IWSC: “Ardbeg remains deeply committed to sustainability and to its island community. Through initiatives such as peatland restoration projects and the Ardbeg All Islay Fund, a £1 million, five-year programme supporting local causes, the Distillery continues to give back to the place that defines its whisky.”
Dr Bill Lumsden MBE, Director of Whisky Creation at Ardbeg, said: “With every drop of Ardbeg, we aim to bottle the untamed spirit of Islay – and we’re delighted to have the dedication of our Distillery recognised with these incredible awards. They are testament to the exceptional efforts which go into crafting the world’s smokiest, peatiest, Islay single malt whisky. I hope they will inspire our team to go on creating exceptional flavours for smoky malt lovers to enjoy!”
