Scotland, Isle of Islay. Distillery operational. Owner: LVMH - Diageo

Founded in 1815 by McDougall & Co. in the south-east of Islay, near the Kildalton Cross, Ardbeg's malt was for a long time overshadowed by its neighbours and competitors Lagavulin and Laphroaig.It was under the patronage of the McDonald family (Glenmorangie Plc), who bought the distillery in 1997, that it was able to develop its potential and introduce the public to the treasures sleeping in its vaults. Between September and November 1997, no less than three bottlings - two of which would become great classics - were released on the market, the Ardbeg 17 Year Old, Ardbeg 1978 and Ardbeg Provenance 1974. The following decade was rich in single cask, cask strength bottlings matured in sherry and bourbon casks, each more impressive than the next. And it was dressed in a new green bottle with confident Celtic-Gothic aesthetics that Ardbeg flooded the market for fans of malts dominated by aromas of smoke, peat and tiger balm.

An Islay single malt distilled at the Ardbeg distillery in 1975, bottled in 1998 by Glenmorangie Plc, who became the owner in February 1997. This is therefore a very peaty malt, aged for over 22 years, distilled in the era of the Canadian company Hiram Walker (1977-1989). The arrival of the Macdonald family at Ardbeg’’s helm marked the start of the distillery’’s most prosperous period, and they not only re-launched production in June 1997 despite the poor condition of the equipment, but also launched a plan to fully renovate the site (malting floors, visitor centre, etc.). This makes this 1975 vintage one of the very first versions launched by the family who, until 2004 (when the distillery was bought by LVMH), continued to reveal the treasures lying dormant in the depths of the distillery’’s vaults. Bottle equipped with a cork stopper and black foil seal embossed with the distillery’’s logo.