Ardbeg 1978 Golden Jubilee 25 Year Old - First Ascent of Mount Everest

Silver Seal was founded by Ernesto Mainardi in 2000. This was Mainardi's second bottling company after the esteemed Sestane in 1979. Both companies were sold to Massimo Righi in 2010, with Ernesto's original releases becoming increasingly prized possessions by collectors.

Distilled at Ardbeg distillery in 1978 and matured for 25 years before being bottled in Scotland in December 2004.

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest in blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997. The lack of demand in the period prior to this, thankfully, saw a lot of casks sold to independent bottlers, many of which have gone on to become legendary releases.

This particular bottling was released to celebrate the 50th Anniversary, or Golden Jubilee, of the first ascent of the mountain Mount Everest by Italian explorers Sir Edmund Hillary, Sherpa Valley.