🥃 Ardbeg Ten
Ardbeg Ten is the core ten-year-old Ardbeg: a peaty Islay single malt at 46% ABV (92 proof), not chill-filtered, on sale since 2000. A common reference point for the rest of the range.
Ardbeg Ten is the usual starting point for peaty Islay whisky. It is the core ten-year-old expression of Ardbeg: a single malt from the island of Islay at 46% ABV, not chill-filtered. Difford's Guide describes it as one of the most peaty and smoky single malts, whose natural sweetness softens it. It has been on sale since 2000.
The base is barley malt dried over peat. Under Scotch Whisky law the spirit is distilled in copper stills and matured in oak casks for at least three years; the label of Ten states ten. Sources do not specify the cask types, so we do not name them. Peat levels are reported differently across sources, so we do not fix a figure; the label is the place to check the exact cask details.
Why this matters to you. Ten is a convenient reference point, and Uigeadail, Corryvreckan and Wee Beastie are usually compared with it. The age on the label refers to the youngest whisky in the bottle. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Islay) |
|---|---|
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | barley malt, heavily peated |
| Minimum maturation | 10 years (stated on the label) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 46% ABV, not chill-filtered |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Ardbeg Ten → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Ardbeg, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Islay whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Ardbeg An Oa, 🥃 Ardbeg Corryvreckan, 🥃 Ardbeg An Oa, 🥃 Ardbeg Corryvreckan, 🥃 Ardbeg Uigeadail, 🥃 Ardbeg Wee Beastie, 🥃 Ardbeg Uigeadail, 🥃 Ardbeg Wee Beastie, 🥃 Peated whisky, 🥃 Laphroaig Lore
Frequently asked questions
How is the strength shown on a US label?
US proof is twice the ABV, so 46% ABV reads as 92 proof.
How do UK rules treat the ten-year age on the label?
Under the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 the stated age is that of the youngest whisky in the bottle.
Which other Ardbeg bottlings do buyers compare with Ten?
Uigeadail, Corryvreckan and Wee Beastie.
Since when has Ten been on sale?
Since 2000, according to Difford's Guide.
Is Ten chill-filtered?
No. Difford's Guide and The Whisky Shop both say it is bottled without chill-filtration.
What to read next
- 🥃 Ardbeg An Oa — Ardbeg line with no age statement: peaty Islay whisky, 46.6% ABV (93.2 proof), from pedro ximenez, new oak and bourbon casks; softer than other Ardbegs.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden vessel made of oak staves in which wine matures, picks up new aromas and slowly takes in air.
- 🥃 Peated whisky — Whisky with a smoky aroma from malt dried over a peat fire; it is a style, not a separate legal category.
Similar
🥃 Ardbeg Corryvreckan · 🥃 Ardbeg Uigeadail · 🥃 Ardbeg Wee Beastie · 🥃 Ardbeg An Oa · 🥃 Laphroaig Triple Wood · 🥃 Ardmore Legacy
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Ardbeg Ten (10 Year Old) (46 % ABV; Islay single malt; introduced 2000; bottled without chill-filtration; LVMH)
- The Whisky Shop: Ardbeg 10 Year Old (46 %, 10 years, Islay single malt, not chill-filtered)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: Scotch Whisky and Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)