Ardbeg Distillery

Ardbeg became a cult whisky after its near-closure in the 1980s and rescue by Glenmorangie in 1997. It makes one of the most heavily peated whiskies in the world, at 55-plus ppm phenols, and has built a passionate global following through inventive limited releases, an open production philosophy and the sheer drama of its revival.

Ardbeg is on the south coast of Islay, at the eastern end of the Kildalton road, around 3 miles east of Lagavulin and 5 miles east of Port Ellen. It's the most remote of the three Kildalton distilleries, sitting at the road's end above a small bay on the Laggan peninsula.

It's open year-round for guided tours and tastings, and the award-winning Old Kiln Cafe serves excellent food made with local Islay produce, making it one of the best lunch stops on the island. The atmosphere is warm and enthusiastic, and it's worth booking tours ahead in peak season.

Ardbeg Day is the distillery's annual celebration, held on the Saturday of Islay's Feis Ile (Festival of Music and Malt) in late May or early June. The distillery throws open its doors to thousands of visitors for a day of whisky, music and festivities, and each year unveils a limited annual bottling that usually sells out within hours. It's one of the most eagerly awaited dates in the whisky calendar.