Ardbeg vs Lagavulin
Two of the best-known peated whiskies in the world, made a short walk apart on the Kildalton coast — but with very different ideas about how smoke should taste.
Side by side
| Ardbeg | Lagavulin | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1815 | 1816 |
| Location | Port Ellen, south coast | Lagavulin Bay, south coast |
| Owner | The Glenmorangie Company (LVMH) | Diageo |
| Stated malt peating | Around 55 ppm phenols in the malt (producer stated) | Around 35 ppm phenols in the malt (producer stated) |
| House style | Intensely peated, with a bright citrus and soot character | Long fermentations and slow distillation; deep, rounded smoke |
| Core expression | Ardbeg 10 Year Old | Lagavulin 16 Year Old |
| Visitor centre | Yes | Yes |
What the differences mean
Ardbeg's malt has the higher stated phenol level, and it uses a purifier on its spirit still that sends heavier vapours back for redistillation. That gives a smoky spirit with a lighter, brighter body.
Lagavulin works the other way: long fermentations and slow distillation produce a heavier, rounder spirit. Its flagship is bottled at 16 years old, so the smoke you taste has had much longer in the cask than Ardbeg's 10 Year Old.
Visiting both
Lagavulin sits between Laphroaig and Ardbeg on the same coast road, so both fit easily into one day. See current tour prices and the Islay whisky map.
Related
Whisky Deals & Distillery Specials