A Dragon on Islay? The Bizarre Story Behind Ardbeg Scorch (Whisky Names Explained)
SectionsMonday, 12 January 2026 at 15:01
The world of whisky is steeped in great stories, some true, others completely made up (but no less wonderful). One distillery brimming with lore is Ardbeg. Ardbeg’s marketing team is razor-sharp, and it shows in the stories behind certain bottles. Take Ardbeg Scorch, the 2021 Committee Release, for example.
The tale behind this Islay whisky revolves around Shortie, the distillery’s mascot, who one day made a curious discovery in one of Ardbeg’s warehouses.
A completely not-made-up dragon story
According to the legend of Ardbeg Scorch, a remarkable creature lived beneath Islay for centuries: a fire-breathing dragon that scorched the island. Feared by many, it stood as a symbol of raw, untamed power. It fed on peat, which the island has in abundance.
One day, Shortie, Ardbeg’s little Jack Russell terrier, was wandering through Warehouse Number 3 when he made a startling discovery. The mythical dragon that was supposed to live under the island was actually in the whisky warehouse of the Scottish distillery.
Though the dragon was eventually defeated, it had taken a bite out of a few casks in the warehouse. The result: they were heavily charred, their insides looking like dragon scales.
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What is Ardbeg Scorch?
This single malt from Ardbeg is a special release in honor of Ardbeg Day 2021. The whisky matured in extra-heavily charred ex-bourbon casks, which gave it a unique character.
Its aromas feature notes of soot and smoke, while the palate brings grilled fare and black licorice.
The tasting notes are as follows:
- Nose: Deep notes of soot, smoke, and campfire. Also aniseed, patchouli, steel and saddle soap, briarwood, sage, and pine.
- Palate: Clove, spices, billows of sweet smoke, charred oak, grilled foods, and licorice with lozenges.
- Finish: Long and powerful with tarry notes.
Where can you buy Ardbeg Scorch?
You can still find the whisky in a few places, but don’t expect a price under €100. In recent years it has become fairly scarce.
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LATEST COMMENTS
- There is no distillery equipment there and also no licences to produce or sell alcohol.TRC19-12-2025
- Hi Yvonne, Thank you for your response and for sharing the video. Unfortunately, the evidence you referred to consists only of two people talking about the whisky, without any explanation or identification. We have not spoken to the individuals in the video ourselves, nor can we verify who they are. We describe it as a Chinese whisky because it is released by a Chinese distillery. As you mentioned, the distillery has chosen to label the product as “pure malt” instead of “Chinese whisky.” Based on that, we do not believe they are doing anything illegal.M0nkey16-11-2025
- So - you have the proof......where's your write up?Yvonne16-11-2025
- You are absolutely right. Luckily that doesn't matter for the taste of the whisky. Have you tried it yet?M0nkey05-11-2025
- Guess what? Finland is not part of Scandinavia.Gray105-11-2025
- Throw in the towel? You mean restructure to compete and win in a challenging industry environment.WestwardFounder21-10-2025
- There is nothing legally to prevent the English whisky GI from coming into force, it complies with all the relevant laws and the single malt definition follows the precedent of Welsh whisky and US whiskyChefBear15-10-2025
- Three emails sent (two with videos, linked to a Google Drive Share). 1. The original video. 2. The video with subtitles as it was shared on YouTube 3. Screen grab of the YouTube channel where the video was blocked due to Pernod Ricard lobbying. The story was covered on Drinks Intel at the time - link here - https://drinks-intel.com/subscriber-news/pernod-ricards-the-chuan-pure-malt-whisky-not-sourced-solely-from-china-global-drinks-intel-exclusive/Yvonne10-10-2025
- Hi Yvonne, Thank you for your interesting comment. Could you share your copy with us, so we can adjust our item accordingly? Mail us at [email protected]. Thank you in advance.M0nkey09-10-2025
- Let's keep this factually correct. Pernod Ricard DID NOT release a Chinese whisky. Their first output from The Chuan (the name of the distillery in Sichuan, China) wasn't fit for bottling. What they actually bottled was imported Scotch whisky. This is why the product is called "PURE MALT" and not "Chinese Whisky" - because Pure Malt is not a regulated term - this is not a secret. This was exposed about a week after they released it. There were even videos about their own staff on site admitting it was made from imported whisky - which Pernod Ricard got the lawyers onto to get the video pulled. I've got a copy if you want it.Yvonne09-10-2025
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