The Islay Bar

Ardbeg Distillery Opens Boutique Hotel in Western Scotland - AFAR

"Inside the hotel, the Islay Bar revives a beloved community watering hole and offers a world-class selection of whiskys from Islay and beyond, including an extensive array of Ardbeg bottlings and the exclusive Ardbeg House Reserve. I attended the daily 18:15 ritual—a nod to Ardbeg’s 1815 founding—when guests are invited to sip Ardbeg Badger Juice, a small-batch dram crafted by Ardbeg’s master blender Gillian Macdonald and poured only by the dram from a special cask. The bar’s atmosphere is enhanced by a boat-shaped chandelier fitted with green Ardbeg bottle glass and a tapestry depicting an Islay scene created with contributions from local artisans, including the Islay Quilters." - Devorah Lev-Tov