ARDBEG GALILEO IS OUT OF THIS WORLD! 

— The Ultimate Islay whisky wins top awards at the International Spirits Competition —

Ardbeg, the Ultimate Islay malt whisky, today won two top awards at the International Spirits Challenge for Ardbeg Galileo, a celebration of its “world first” space maturation experiment.

The ultimate Islay malt whisky won Best Launch campaign and Best PR campaign for the release of Galileo, a limited edition whisky released in June 2012.

The whisky, named after Galileo Galilei, the father of modern astronomy, celebrates the first ever experiment undertaken by Ardbeg Distillery (or any other distillery for that matter!) in space. Ardbeg was invited in late 2011 by US-based space research company NanoRacks, based in Houston Texas, to take part in an experiment to test what impact zero gravity has on micro-organic compounds drawn from the distillery’s production on Islay. This experiment will compare the difference in maturation (the inter-action of these compounds with charred oak) between normal gravity on Earth and micro-gravity in space, and is currently taking place on the International Space Station.

Dr Bill Lumsden, Ardbeg’s Director of Distilling and Whisky Creation, explained: “We thought we would celebrate the experiment by the introduction of Ardbeg Galileo – our own earthly tribute to the scientific experiment taking place far up in space! We are over the moon at winning these campaign awards, it has been a privilege to have the opportunity to send Ardbeg molecules in to space and create an expression in its honour.”  

Notes 

About Ardbeg
Ardbeg prides itself on being the ‘Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky’. Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by connoisseurs around the world as the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts.

Despite its smokiness, Ardbeg is renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as ‘the peaty paradox’.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Ardbeg suffered from an uncertain future and it was not until the brand was purchased by The Glenmorangie Company in 1997 that the Distillery was saved from extinction. Since then, the Distillery has risen like a phoenix and today Ardbeg is well established as a niche, cult malt, with a passionate following. The legacy of the whisky was safeguarded by the formation of ‘The Committee’ in 2000 from thousands of Ardbeg followers across the globe keen to ensure, “the doors of Ardbeg never close again.”

Ardbeg was voted ‘Scotch Whisky of the Year’ three years in a row by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

Ardbeg Embassies
Ardbeg Embassies are a network of customers who love the whisky and have agreed to profile Ardbeg to their consumers. Most are independent premium whisky stores.