Ardnahoe Distillery: First whisky to come from a new distillery on Islay since 2009 released

It has been six decades since Stewart Laing first learned how to make whisky on Islay. In the 1960s he travelled to the world-famous whisky island to learn the ropes.

The experience was once which sowed the seeds of a dream – the idea of building a distillery on the Hebridean island. That dream came to fruition in 2018 when he opened the ninth distillery on the island – Ardnahoe.

Now, Stewart and his sons, Andrew and Scott, are celebrating the release of the first whisky from the distillery, and the first dram to come out of a new distillery the island since 2009.

‘Building our own distillery was a hugely important and long dreamed of step and it’s been a personal ambition of mine ever since I was posted to work on Islay at Bruichladdich back in the 1960s,’ said Stewart.

Andrew and Scott Laing with Ardnahoe Distillery Manager Fraser Hughes.

‘From finding the perfect piece of land on Islay for the distillery back in 2015 to now seeing our first whisky released, it’s truly the culmination of a lifelong dream for the Laing family.’

With Islay peat smoke on the nose, custard, ginger, lemon zest and baked apples on the palate and a long, smoky finish, the Inaugural Release is a classic Islay single malt.

The debut whisky was created using traditional methods under the watch of distillery manager Fraser Hughes.

Soft peated Islay loch water is drawn from nearby Loch Ardnahoe, while the distillery uses two traditional worm-tub condensers – the only ones on Islay. These were chosen to bring added depth of flavour and complexity to the spirit.

The distillery’s malted barley is sourced from Port Ellen Maltings on Islay’s south coast and allow the distinctive earthy Islay peat smoke characteristics to come through.

‘Ardnahoe Distillery has welcomed many thousands of visitors from all over the globe since we opened in 2019 and there’s been great anticipation at the prospect of the first ever Ardnahoe whisky being released in the UK and internationally,’ said Andrew.

‘With the Inaugural Release, Ardnahoe has released a whisky that shows signs of one day being regarded as an Islay classic.’

Ardnahoe Distillery’s Inaugural Release goes on sale on 10^th May – available via ardnahoedistillery.com and from the distillery itself.

Read more Whisky news here.

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