Ardara Distillery

The Ardara Distillery Launches Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey

This August marks a historic moment in the revival of Irish whiskey as The Ardara Distillery, home of Sliabh Liag Distillers, proudly unveils Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey – a heavily peated, triple distilled, all grain-in whiskey that signals a bold revival of Donegal’s lost distilling tradition.

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Today, the same passion for flavour and authenticity is guiding a new chapter in Irish spirits. At Ardara, we’re answering a call that comes not from market trends, but from memory, from place, and from family.

This August marks a historic moment in the revival of Irish whiskey as The Ardara Distillery, home of Sliabh Liag Distillers, proudly unveils Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey – a heavily peated, triple distilled, all grain-in whiskey that signals a bold revival of Donegal’s lost distilling tradition. Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey has already been awarded a Gold medal at the Irish Whiskey Masters 2025 in the Single Malt – Super-Premium category.

A true product of place, Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey is uncompromising in character. For over a century, regional distinctions in Irish whiskey have been lost, replaced by conformity. Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey breaks this trend, reclaiming Donegal’s distinctive character. Made with heavily peated malted barley, peated to 55 ppm, distilled with the grain-in, and matured, sherry forward, in American Bourbon and Virgin oak casks, this Irish whiskey brings to life a style unseen for over a century. Rooted in tradition, yet confident and contemporary in execution, Ardara Single Malt Irish whiskey is a rich smoky declaration and a Donegal homecoming.

“For too long, Irish whiskey has drifted towards a conformity with the familiar – sweet, smooth and easy."

Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey represents the culmination of a dream held by founders James and Moira Doherty, who returned to their family roots to build The Ardara Distillery and revive the whiskey-making traditions that once defined the northwest of Ireland.

From its base on the Show Field in the coastal town of Ardara, The Ardara Distillery stands as a striking emblem of renewal. Behind its glass façade, the three copper stills from Forsyths of Scotland are the beating heart of a process engineered to harness every note of smoky, earthy complexity.

“For too long, Irish whiskey has drifted towards a conformity with the familiar – sweet, smooth and easy,” says James Doherty, co-founder of The Ardara Distillery. “At Ardara, we’re answering a call that comes not from market trends, but from memory, from place, and from family. A century ago, my grandfather was an illicit distiller in Donegal and, while he is no longer with us, I know he’d recognise what we’re doing here – grain-in, heavily peated, triple distilled, just as it was in his time. Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey is a spirit that could only have come from one place – Donegal. This isn’t about nostalgia, it’s about revival: reclaiming the rich, sweet smoky, textured soul of true Donegal whiskey.

Adding to this, Moira Doherty, co-founder of The Ardara Distillery said:

“Ardara’s mission has always been singular: to remain true to Donegal above all else. We know that our Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey is a deeply traditional style delivered in a process that today is seen as revolutionary. It doesn’t matter to us that no one else chooses to do it this way; it is true to Donegal and that’s good enough for us!”

The Ardara Distillery is proudly championing heavily peated “all grain in” distilling – a process that sees every part of the grain carried through to the wash still. This is a rare approach that honours traditional Donegal distilling while extracting maximum character from the malt. Ardara is the only distillery on the island of Ireland dedicated to peated whiskey using this method.

Carefully selected yeast strains and the use of pot stills with downward-sloping lyne arms work in harmony to harness the rich, fruity, nutty, smokiness forged in the grain.

The packaging reflects the spirit within – bold, elegant, and full of meaning. A 100% recycled sculpted bottle with vertical flutes echoes the era when these flavours were last enjoyed, while the Solera vats uniquely used prior to maturation and essential to continuity are recognised on the bottles’ caps. Metallic blue and copper accents on the label reference the native dragonfly, chosen as Ardara’s emblem – a creature of transformation, resilience and rebirth, much like the Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey itself.

The Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey marks the first release of what will be a defining style that will grow, develop and evolve with time. James Doherty said: “Our first edition of Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey drinks superbly well – even in its youth it clearly signals the style and character we’ve been committed to from the very beginning. With each future release Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey will gain added depth and complexity as we move closer to defining Ardara’s true signature style.” James added: “We‘re proud to be at this point and grateful for the support that’s brought us here. It promises to be an exciting journey of discovery.”

Adding to this, Moira Doherty, co-founder of The Ardara Distillery said:

The 2025 edition comprises an initial 10,000 bottles worldwide; 2,000 at cask strength (available exclusively at The Ardara Distillery visitor centre); 8,000 bottles at 46% ABV for select distribution in Ireland and the UK from August, followed by international markets from September, including Germany, France, USA, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey at 46% will be available in select outlets and online from August 2025 and costs €90.00. Find out more about The Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey and the spirit of Donegal here: https://www.sliabhliagdistillers.com/

The Ardara Single Malt (46% ABV) offers a sensory journey throughout – on the nose, sweet cereal and biscuit mingle with poached figs, coconut, raisins, and a delicate whisper of pipe tobacco and ash. The palate unfolds with the rich sweetness of hot beignets and poached pears, layered with notes of roasted coconut, almond, leather, and rolled tobacco. Waves of campfire smoke roll in, gradually giving way to a soft, smoky baked apple finish. The experience lingers with a warm echo of the hearth – smoke, sweet spice, and the quiet, comforting hush of a peat fire the morning after.