Ardara Distillery — County Donegal Single Malt Whisky

Ardara Distillery is an Irish whiskey distillery located in the coastal town of Ardara, County Donegal, Ireland. It was founded in 2020 and is currently owned and operated by Sliabh Liag Distillers, the company founded by James and Moira Doherty. It produces a heavily peated, triple-distilled single malt using an "all grain in" production method rarely seen elsewhere in Ireland, reviving a smoky style of whiskey historically associated with Donegal.

History

Ardara Distillery was built by Sliabh Liag Distillers, the company James and Moira Doherty established in 2015 in nearby Carrick to revive commercial distilling in Donegal after more than a century's absence — James Doherty has spoken of his grandfather having been an illicit distiller in the county. As the Carrick site's capacity for whiskey production reached its limits, the couple developed the larger Ardara site, on the Show Field beside the Owentocker River, to house dedicated whiskey stills. Fitted out with three copper pot stills from Forsyths of Scotland and led by head distiller Graeme Bell, the distillery was built to produce a bold, heavily peated (around 55 ppm) single malt distilled three times from local barley, styled as a deliberate departure from the lighter, triple-distilled norm of most Irish whiskey. The distillery's flagship whiskey, Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey, had its official launch in November 2025 and went on to win gold at the Irish Whiskey Masters 2025 and double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The site also distills gin and poitín, and is open to visitors for tastings and tours.

Quick Facts

• Region: County Donegal, Ireland
• Founded: 2020
• Owner: Sliabh Liag Distillers
• Status: Active
• Stills: 3 copper pot stills from Forsyths of Scotland (10,000L wash still, 5,000L intermediate still, 3,500L spirit still), plus a 500L copper gin still

Core Range

The distillery's flagship release is Ardara Single Malt Irish Whiskey (46% ABV), a heavily peated, triple-distilled single malt matured with sherry-forward casks via a solera system, launched in 2025. Sliabh Liag Distillers also produces An Dúlamán Gin, a maritime gin flavoured with hand-harvested seaweed, and Frank Carr's Irish Poitín, alongside the company's established Silkie range of blended Irish whiskeys (Legendary Silkie, Dark Silkie at 46% ABV non-chill-filtered, and Midnight Silkie), all sold through the distillery's visitor centre and online shop.