Ardbeg Day Melbourne includes the Ardbeg Dolce launch and events
Ardbeg Day will take place in Melbourne on Saturday, 30th May as part of a global celebration aligned with Fèis Ìle, the Festival of Music and Malt on Islay. The annual event brings together Ardbeg Committee members and whisky enthusiasts across multiple international locations.
This year’s theme centres on la dolce vita, drawing from 1960s Italian cinema and Mediterranean culture. As a result, Ardbeg has developed a global concept that combines this influence with its established Islay whisky profile.
To mark the occasion, Ardbeg has confirmed the release of Ardbeg Dolce, a limited-edition whisky matured in Marsala dolce casks. The expression combines malt aged in Sicily’s fortified wine casks with bourbon cask-matured Ardbeg.
Australia will lead the release with a 24-hour preview available to Ardbeg Committee members on Thursday, 30th April. Following this, the whisky will be available exclusively through The Whisky Club from Friday, 1st May.
Ardbeg Dolce is bottled at 47.8% ABV and carries a recommended retail price of $180 AUD. Tasting notes indicate a profile that combines sweetness and smoke, including aromas of apricot, raisins, stewed apple and orange marmalade, alongside deeper savoury elements such as roasted mushroom, olive and salted notes.
“Uniting whisky matured in Marsala dolce casks and classic Ardbeg, Ardbeg Dolce is a dramatic blend of Mediterranean sweetness and Islay peat. Sweet notes of apricot, marmalade and dark chocolate rub shoulders with salty, smoky flavours and roasted nutty tones. Enjoy this limited edition in a Sicilian courtyard, on a rain-drenched Scottish island or wherever you are. We think it’ll be an instant classic,” says Gillian Macdonald, Master Blender and Co-Chair of the Ardbeg Committee.
PEAT-ZZERIA concept to roll out across Melbourne venues
In Australia, the global theme has been adapted into a concept titled PEAT-ZZERIA. The format combines peat-forward whisky with Italian-inspired food elements, particularly pizza, and references a restaurant located on Islay.
Consequently, Ardbeg Embassy venues across the country will host the concept, delivering a consistent format tied to the global campaign. In Melbourne, Whisky & Alement has been confirmed as a participating venue.
“For smoky malt lovers, life doesn’t get much sweeter than on Ardbeg Day,” says Bryony McNiven, Distillery Manager and Committee Co-Chair. “This year, we’re celebrating the sweet life Islay-style. It’s time to dial up the 1960s spirit and enjoy ‘la dolce Islay’!”
The Ardbeg Committee, formed in 2000, now includes more than 200,000 members across over 140 countries. Members receive early access to releases and invitations to events tied to the distillery’s global calendar.
Tickets for Ardbeg Day events across Australia will be released from Wednesday, 22nd April. Embassy events, including the Melbourne activation, will run alongside a larger Sydney event scheduled for Saturday, 6th June.
Event Details
Location: Whisky & Alement, Melbourne
Date: Saturday, 30th May
Tickets: Available from Wednesday, 22nd April
For more information on Ardbeg Day events nationwide and to purchase tickets, please visit ardbegcommittee.com.au/pages/ardbeg-day-2026
