Ardbeg Unveils Its 2026 Feis Ile Release The Marsala Cask Aged Dolce

Ardbeg has released the Dolce, a Marsala cask-aged expression bottled at 47.8% ABV.

Released for the 2026 Fèis Ìle festival, this expression was aged in sweet Marsala dolce fortified wine casks from Sicily, as well as Ardbeg’s signature Bourbon barrel-aged single malt.

This latest release highlights Ardbeg's "peaty paradox" – its trademark balance of sweetness and smoke. On the nose, "aromas of sun-ripened oranges and apricots set the scene", while on the palate, "flavours of dark chocolate take centre stage alongside hints of olive groves, before giving way to soft smoke and salted nuts."

Master Blender and Co-Chair of the Ardbeg Committee Gillian Macdonald said that the expression had a profile where “Sweet notes of apricot, marmalade and dark chocolate rub shoulders with salty, smoky flavours and roasted nutty tones."

The final Saturday of Fèis Ìle, known as Islay's Festival of Music and Malt, also sees Ardbeg Day being celebrated. This year, Ardbeg Day falls on Saturday 30 May, inviting peated whisky enthusiasts to indulge in a taste of ‘la dolce vita’, Islay-style.

During Ardbeg Day, the distillery's Committee members and guests will feast on Italian-Islay fusion cuisine and toast the new limited edition. The celebration is also set to blend eras and cultures, featuring retro games alongside a high-energy soundtrack of Mediterranean street tunes and traditional Scottish folk.

To honour the debut of the Dolce, Ardbeg is throwing a global series of celebrations, inviting fans to step into the stylish world of 1960s Italian cinema, reimagined with a signature "Ardbeggian" flair.

Ardbeg Dolce will be available to purchase worldwide at Ardbeg Embassies, whisky specialists, online retailers, and the distillery visitor centre, with a MSRP of £85 (US$112/€99). Members of the Ardbeg Committee will have the chance to buy this bottling four days before its official release on the distillery’s website on 26 May.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team