Ardnahoe

Ardnahoe, Islay's newest distillery, stands out with distinctive features that differentiate it from the island's existing whisky producers. It boasts the only worm tub condensers on Islay, Scotland's longest lyne arms at 24.5ft, and offers stunning views of the Sound of Islay from its still house.

Ardnahoe is dedicated to crafting a heavily peated, fruit-forward spirit with a creamy, slightly oily texture. They use barley peated to 40ppm and employ a 2.5-tonne mash tun, requiring two mashes for one fermentation. The extended fermentation period of 60 to 70 hours allows yeast to develop richer fruit flavors. In the still house, the two copper pot stills are run slowly, enabling greater copper contact as the spirit travels through the distinctive lyne arms and into 77 meters of copper coiling in the worm tub condensers.

Founded by Stewart Laing, who has always felt a strong connection to Islay, Ardnahoe became a reality in 2019 when the distillery officially opened its doors to visitors. Laing's vision to create a family-owned and operated distillery on the island culminated in Ardnahoe's establishment, which is now a part of Islay's renowned whisky landscape.