Black Forest to Black Sea by oar as two men complete 3,200km journey to row the Danube 

— Epic adventure is supported by Ardbeg, the ultimate Islay whisky — 

Two daring Brits have completed their journey to row from the highest navigable point on the Danube to the lowest – a staggering 3,200km journey – with the support of Ardbeg, Islay Single Malt whisky.

Beginning in the heart of Europe and passing through ten countries to finish on the western fringes of Asia, Mark Hughes and Jonathan Cowie rowed in shifts of one hour each, needing to cover at least 100km per day to remain on target.

The expedition was supported by Ardbeg, the Ultimate Islay malt, who are well known for their love of adventure. Ardbeg is currently involved in a “world first” space maturation experiment on the International Space station, and their big and untamed custom-made Orange County Chopper motorbike is currently touring the world.

Rower Mark Hughes explains: “Jonathan and I are extremely excited to have completed our adventure to row down the Danube. It has been the ultimate journey and we very much appreciate the support from the ultimate Islay malt whisky, Ardbeg.”

Allan Little, Ardbeg Brand Manager, says: “The distance these two friends have covered is really admirable. Their ambition is to raise money and awareness for two inspirational charities and we are more than happy to support them. We’d also encourage everyone to go to http://www.rowthedanube.com/ to donate.”

Mark and Jonathan set off on their ultimate journey on the June 9th from Ulm in Baden-Württemberg, Germany after being delayed by flooding. They travelled down the river Danube to complete their epic trip on the Bosphorus in Istanbul, after almost a month of rowing on July 6th.

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 and was awarded ‘World’s Best Single Malt’, ‘Best Islay Single Malt’ and the ‘Global Icon Visitor Centre Manager of the Year’ at the World Whisky Awards 2013.

Ardbeg Embassies

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

Responsible Drinking

Ardbeg and The Glenmorangie Company advocate responsible drinking and suggest that drinkers savour Ardbeg in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.