Introduction Early in the 19th century there were more
than 50 whisky stills on Arran, most of them illegal and carefully hidden
from the eyes of the taxmen. The malt was acclaimed at the time as the best
in Scotland, but economic problems, with the high cost of transporting the
whisky to the mainland, forced them to close. But now once again an Arran
Malt is reborn, maintaining the age old traditions of whisky making on the
island.
Our location offers perfect water for whisky production, cleansed by granite
and softened by peat as it comes down from the mountains above. The
atmosphere of sea breezes and clear mountain air matures our malt in earth
floored warehouses in a manner unique to Arran.
Arran is a unique island, and has produced a unique malt which combines the
very best of the highlands and islands of Scotland. We are now releasing a
limited stock of our Arran Malt, which has been matured in special sherry
casks that have matured the malt remarkably quickly. This is the first Arran
Malt for over 150 years, and it has been acclaimed by whisky writers and
connoisseurs worldwide.
'Every one a temptress...' So says whisky writer Jim Murray. Now you have
the opportunity to try this unique island malt whisky for yourself.
When the only Arran Malt available was made in illicit stills dotted in the
glens, supplies were pretty scarce. The new Arran Malt is still rare, only a
few casks in the warehouse, only a few casks put into bottle, only a few
connoisseurs will find it, but for those that do, we can promise an exciting
malt which lives up to its glorious heritage.
Ardbeg
The early days of distilling: If the stories
are to be believed (and why not?), the inhabitants of Islay had been
enjoying the effects of 'strong wines and aquavitae' for years before the
Ardbeg distillery was established. Even attempts to suppress the unruly
islanders with a heavy malt tax could not deter illicit distillers and
smugglers operating around Ardbeg's rocky cove. This was perhaps an
inevitable consequence for a remote island, so difficult for the excise men
to reach, yet blessed with an abundance of natural resources needed for
producing whisky - fertile soil, peat bogs and unlimited supplies of soft
peaty water. Somehow, against a backdrop of raiding Norsemen, inter-island
clan battles and English taxation, Ardbeg emerged as "unquestionably the
greatest distillery on earth."
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