Ardbeg Launches Dolce
Ardbeg has announced its 2026 Ardbeg Day limited edition bottling: Ardbeg Dolce.
Held annually on the final Saturday of Islay’s Festival of Music and Malt (Fèis Ìle), Ardbeg Day is a global celebration of all things Ardbeg. This year, the event falls on May 30th and festivities are set to take place at the distillery and at Ardbeg partner bars and retailers around the world.
Ardbeg Dolce combines malt matured in Marsala dolce casks – the sweetest style of Sicily’s fortified wine – with classic bourbon cask-matured Ardbeg, and is bottled NCF (Non Chill-Filtered) at 47.8% ABV.
Official tasting notes for Ardbeg Dolce follow:
Aroma: Rich and complex. The smoke is mellowed by bursts of apricot, plump raisins, sticky date and tangy stewed apple. Orange marmalade lifts it all with a citrusy brightness. A splash of water reveals the deeper, earthier layers: roasted mushrooms, pine needles, salted fish, capers and olives. An Islay pantry meets a Sicilian garden.
Taste: Spices lead the way in cinnamon, star anise and a flicker of liquorice heat. Then the sweetness unfolds with maple-smoked wood, baked dates with walnuts, honeycomb and dark chocolate. Dried fruits follow close behind, wrapped in lemon rind and balanced by a savoury twist of salted nuts and dried herbs.
Finish: The finish is long and layered, with smoked applewood, drying tobacco, bonfire embers and rich, chewy peat oils.
Ardbeg Dolce is available for purchase at the Ardbeg Distillery Visitor Centre, Ardbeg Embassies, and select retailers for the suggested retail price of $109.99.
Source: Ardbeg.