The Ardara Distillery Releases Second Edition Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Reviving Ireland's Lost Century-Old Heavy Peated Smoking Craft: The Ardara Distillery Launches Second Edition Single Malt Whiskey
Located in Donegal, Ireland, The Ardara Distillery (part of Sliabh Liag Distillers) has officially released the 2026 edition of Ardara Single Malt Irish whiskey. This is the distillery's second heavily peated single malt release. To celebrate the new launch, the distillery opened its doors to the public free of charge during Ardara Show Day and hosted tastings, celebrating the birth of this historical whiskey with the local community.
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Rooted in Heritage: Reviving Lost Smoking Techniques
A century ago, Donegal was renowned for its uniquely flavored heavily peated smoked whiskey. However, with tightened regulations and a market shift toward smoother styles, this traditional craft gradually faded. Founder James Doherty noted that the brewing inspiration stemmed from an illicit distillation recipe passed down by his grandfather before his grandmother's passing. The distillery is dedicated to reviving this lost smoking craft, bringing Irish heavy peated whiskey back to the global stage.
Unique Brewing Craft and Global Market Expansion
This expression is crafted using the distillery's proprietary "The Ardara Method," utilizing heavily peated malt, retaining grains throughout fermentation and initial distillation to concentrate a rich body, and after triple distillation, marrying the spirit in 6,000-liter Solera vats. Following the launch of 10,000 bottles of the first edition in 2025, which received critical acclaim in the UK, France, Germany, and global duty-free markets, the brand is now expanding into the US market.
Rich Layers and Edition Characteristics
The dragonfly totem on the bottle symbolizes the whiskey tradition breaking through the water to fly high and be reborn. The 2026 edition is released in a 46% ABV regular edition and a 60.9% ABV Cask Strength edition, showcasing rich layers of sweet smoke, orchard fruits, toasted nuts, tobacco, and leather, offering a powerful yet balanced flavor profile.
📅 Release Date: 2026-08-26
🔗 Source: https://www.whiskyintelligence.com/2026/08/the-ardara-distillery-releases-the-second-edition-of-ardara-single-malt-irish-whiskey-irish-whiskey-news/