Live Auction
April 2025 AuctionEnding 05.05.2025
Live Auction
60.4%
70cl
UK
#Ardbeg 2003 SMWS 8 Year Old 33.116
#1854671
Current bid
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Closing
05 May 2025

Bottle Details

Ardbeg 2003 SMWS 8 Year Old 33.116

\"Heather-smoked barbecued crayfish\"

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest in blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997. The lack of demand in the period prior to this, thankfully, saw a lot of casks sold to independent bottlers, many of which have gone on to become legendary releases.

This Ardbeg was distilled in July 2003 and matured in a single first-fill bourbon barrel for 8 years. It was bottled by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) was founded in 1983 by a group of friends lead by tax accountant Phillip ‘Pip’ Hills as a private members club. The concept behind the society was to source casks from all over Scotland which would then be bottled and made available exclusively to its members. Perhaps the most famous feature of these bottles are the unique codes. Each distillery is represented by a different number and the following digits indicate that particular release. That same year, the SMWS set up its first location in Leith’s Vault buildings in Edinburgh where it still stands today.

One of 243 bottles.

Age
8 Year Old
Vintage
2003
Cask type
first-fill bourbon barrel
Region
Islay

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