Ardbeg 1978

Vintage: 1978

Bottled: 1997-1999

Age: 19-21

ABV: 43% (42.4% in one batch)

Bottle Size: 70cl, 750ml

Number of Bottles: Unknown

Box: Standard Box (see variations below)

Insert/Extras: Tasting Notes

Distribution: UK, Europe, Asia, US

Front Label: 1997; 1998; 1998 US (BF); 1999.

Back Label: UWE; CSS; US.

Initial Cost: �39.99; US-$95USD

Front w/box and 1978 Tasting Notes

Back w/box and 1978 Tasting Notes

Front labels.

Front Label 1997.

Front Label 1998.

Front Label 1998 (US).

Front Label 1999.

The following picture was first posted on the SOI forums, and Harry from Canada gave permission to use it here as well. This is a 1978 bottled in 1997 with Japanese writing on front label, and it was being served at Grace, in Moto Akasaka Building, Tokyo, Japan in July of 2009.

Front Label 1999 batch bottled at 42.4%. This was a mistake and sold only at the Distillery. There is word that only 204 bottles were sold.

Back labels.

Ultimate Whisky Experience (UWE) Back Label.

UWE Back Label w/unknown drawing.

Cotisation S�curit� Sociale (CSS) Back Label.

Brown-Forman (US) Back Label.

Box Variations

This section was added to explain the changes made to the box. They seem to be made at the bottling or packing facility, and there could be more varieties. However, since boxes can always be changed after distribution, this is meant only as a guide to display my 'unofficial' interpretation of the differences.

1997 bottle with 1997 box.

1998 bottle with 1997 box.

1998 bottle with 1998 box.

1998 US Brown-Forman bottle with 1998 box.

1999 bottle with corrected box (Sticker with 1999 added).

Bottle Codes for the vintage 1978, including any other Expressions bottled on the same day or within hours of the 1978.

Bottle Code	Expression	Size	Market	Day	Month	Year
L 7 252 4ML 14:15	1978	700	UWE	9	September	1997
L 7 253 4ML 14:12	17	700	UWE	10	September	1997
L 7 314 4ML 14:18	1978	700	Italy (UWE)	10	November	1997
L 7 315 4ML 13:02	17	700	UK (UWE)	11	November	1997
L 7 338 4ML 11:40	17	700		4	December	1997
L 7 338 4ML 15:16	1978	700	UK (UWE)	4	December	1997
L 8 023 4ML 11:54	1978	700	UK (UWE)	23	January	1998
L 8 167 4ML 10:27	1978	750	US (BF)	16	June	1998
L 8 217 4ML 12:26	1978	750	US (BF)	4	August	1998
L 8 294 4ML 18:38	1978	700	UK (UWE)	20	October	1998
L 8 330 4ML 15:02	1978	700	UK	26	November	1998
L 8 331 4ML 08:24	17	700	German	27	November	1998
L 9 118 4ML 11:50	1978	700	French	28	April	1999