As Islay’s newest distillery, Ardnahoe needed to create a distinctive identity to set itself apart from the island’s established whisky styles. It achieved this impressively with unique features like the only worm tub condensers on Islay and Scotland’s longest lyne arms, stretching 24.5 feet. Additionally, visitors are treated to stunning views of the Sound of Islay from the still house.
Ardnahoe’s production is geared toward crafting a heavily peated, richly fruity spirit with a creamy, slightly oily texture. The barley is peated to 40ppm, and the 2.5-tonne mash tun produces enough clear wort to fill half of one Oregon pine washback, requiring two mashes for each fermentation.
Fermentation lasts between 60 and 70 hours, allowing the yeast to develop fuller fruit flavors. The two copper pot stills in the still house are run slowly, maximizing copper contact as the spirit travels through the long lyne arms and into 77 meters of copper coiling inside the worm tub condensers.
Currently, the spirit is being aged in first-fill ex-Bourbon casks, with some experimental maturation in ex-Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez Sherry butts.
The distillery was thoughtfully designed with visitors in mind, featuring a layout that allows for a natural flow during tours, ending in a beautifully decorated sensory room. Guests can enjoy a dram at the bar, a bowl of stovies at the café, and purchase a bottle to take home from the on-site shop.
Stewart Laing’s connection to Islay began in his teenage years when he worked at Bruichladdich, sparking a dream to one day build a family-owned distillery on the island. In 2013, Laing founded independent bottling company Hunter Laing & Co., bringing his sons Andrew and Scott on board.
With a growing demand for Islay whiskies and a desire to secure a future for his family, Laing acquired a site on Islay’s northeast coast in January 2016 and submitted plans to build an £8 million malt whisky distillery. Ardnahoe received planning permission in September 2016, and construction began soon after.
The distillery was completed in late 2018, with the first spirit running through the stills on 14 October and the first cask filled on 9 November. Ardnahoe officially opened to visitors in April 2019.
