Description

Ardbeg Fermutation Committee Release Invasion of the Washbacks

Special Limited distillery committee only edition this Ardbeg Fermutation Committee Release. Distilled in 2007 and bottled in 2021.

8000 bottles in total.

Islay region, South shore district.

This is a  Smokey Phenolic whisky. To see what other drams we have, visit our whisky by taste section for other styles.

Ardbeg Malt Whisky Distillery History.
One of the original Kildalton distilleries, situated on the southern shore of the island.

Built in 1815,  on the site of an illicit distillery of which there were many in the area.

Ardbeg, unlike its neighbours Laphroaig and Lagavulin, has not enjoyed the same uninterrupted period of production since its opening.

In fact between 1981 and 1989 famously closed. Whilst the then owners Allied distillers decided what to do with the distillery.

Re-opened in 1990 but only operated up to 6 weeks of the year from 1991 until 1996. When the distillery closed again…for good.

In 1997 the Glenmorangie company bought the distillery and all its stock, re-starting distillation in earnest in 1998. Bringing much needed stability and expertise in maturation particularly. In effect they had resurrected a slumbering beast.

The “happy accident” that led to the  Ardbeg Fermutation was its boilers breaking down. Instead of throwing out the mash until those were fixed, Dr. Bill Lumsden (the mad-scientist distiller behind Ardbeg) decided to see what would happen if they let it be. The washback lids were opened and the mash was allowed to ferment with the sea-kissed Islay air for three more weeks. To put that in perspective, Ardbeg (and most whiskies) usually ferment for 72 hours before distillation.

Once the boilers were back up and running, the whisky was distilled and then barreled in first-fill and re-fill bourbon casks. 13 years later, Dr. Bill decided it was ready and here we are.