Ardnahoe Whisky Distillery
Being the newest of the now nine distilleries on Islay, Ardnahoe Distillery opened in Spring 2019 and is the newest distillery to have opened on Islay for 15 years. A family-owned company, led by Stewart Laign and both his sons, Scott and Andrew saw its vision standing in a field in 2015. A dream, determination, passion and grit saw Ardnahoe come to fruition and become part of the Islay whisky family.
What makes Ardnahoe special
Ardnahoe is Gaelic for “Height of the Hollow” and Loch Ardnahoe is where the water comes from, hence the name. Loch Ardnahoe boasts ‘exceptionally soft water’ so things get off to a good start. From here it goes through the whisky-making process ending up at the ‘Worm Tubs’. Now this is the interesting bit. Ardnahoe uses an old and dying out distillation method using these ‘Worm Tubs’ prior to being casked and matured. At this stage (which is a slow one) vapour is allowed to condense slowly and gradually, thus adding other additional qualities to whisky. Ardnahoe believes the time this adds is worth it and is apparent when you enjoy some Ardnahoe whisky. So why not try some as it’s what makes Ardnahoe special?
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If this has got you curious then you can head along and visit the distillery for yourself. Ardnahoe offers tours and tastings. If you are a family and have young children you can take part in ‘The Spirit of Ardnahoe Tour’. Lasting an hour you will learn all about this whisky and the ‘Worm Tubs’. And for adults only you can enjoy the ‘Warehouse No.1 Tasting Experience’ a 90minute experience where you will enjoy drams of Ardnahoe Whisky from four different casks. Finally, the ‘Ultimate Ardnahoe Experience ~ tour & warehouse tasting’ (adult only) is two hours of fun! Here you enjoy a tour of the distillery and a tasting of four casks exclusive to this experience. All tours and tastings are available to book on their website.
Visitor Centre and more…
Ardnahoe has a lovely visitor centre with spectacular views to enjoy. Here there is a shop, and a licensed whisky bar selling a host of whisky. And if you are the driver, do not fear, Barista-style coffee, tea and soft drinks are also available. Check for opening times prior to visiting. Additionally, you can see Ardnahoe’s Accessibility Guide. Furthermore, there is a guide on how to get to Ardnahoe so you can plan your visit in advance and if you want to enjoy a drink get a list of taxi services.
A holiday with us at Islay Cottages is not complete without experiencing the island’s whisky. So why not head along to Ardnahoe and experience our newest whisky addition? If you want to know more or book a stay with us then please get in touch with us today.
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