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"Steeped in more than 200 years of smoky single‑malt craft and now part of Moët Hennessy, the island’s most famous distillery draws a global cult of pilgrims, and my private 4 p.m. tour rollicked through vaulted barrel rooms, checkered history, and cult status with the charismatic, encyclopedic head of whisky creation, Bill Lumsden (whom Beyoncé once called upon). We tasted distillery classics and experiments, including the award‑winning Seann Chreag—biscuity and treacle‑like from bourbon casks—and a viscous, spicy trial whisky with a red‑berry kickback that Lumsden is confident will go into production; by the end I’d joined the 40,000‑strong Ardbeg Committee to keep up with their exclusive bottlings." - Anna Cafolla