Ardbeg Traigh Bhan – whisky review

Ardbeg Traigh Bhan

Ardbeg Traigh Bhan appeared at the distillery core-range in September 2019. This is the first age stated whisky since the times of the Ardbeg Ten. This time it is a 19-year old version, Small Batch, which means that there can be differences in the next batches.

Batch No. 01 is a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry oloroso casks. However, the whisky is not finished in sherry casks, but part of the distillates have been matured in bourbon barrels, and some part in oloroso casks. After the maturation process, the whole had been „married” together and bottled.

Bottled in a typical for Ardbeg – kind of random volume of alcohol: 46.2%. The distillery does it quite oft. From the basic core-range, only Ardbeg Ten is bottled at plain 46% (no numbers after comma 😉).

Next batches of Ardbeg Traigh Bhan are expected to appear every year around September. Now, the batch no. 01 disappears quickly from magazines. Despite the fact that this edition had been added to distillery’s portfolio, we can be quite sure, that it will be gone very quickly each year.

Ardbeg Traigh Bhan

Ardbeg means „Little High”

Traigh Bhan means „Singing Sands”

Single Malt Scotch Whiskey

Region: Islay

Aged 19 years

46.2% ABV

Heavily peated 50 PPM

Aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry oloroso casks

Un-chill filtered

Color: amber -1, natural

This beautiful picture had been made by Rajmund Matuszkiewicz

Tasting notes

Nose: dried dates, smoke, milk chocolate, vanilla, butterscotch, salty caramel, cardamom, lemongrass, coconut, earl gray, honey, lime peel, marjoram, whipped cream, chamomile, elderberry flower. Alcohol is perfectly hidden. 22/25

Palate: not too sweet. Rather slightly dry. Ash, cocoa, vanilla, smoke, dried plums, bitter orange, blackcurrant, blueberry jam, muscovado sugar, ripe pears, dried fruits, walnuts, marzipan. 23/25

Finish: dark chocolate, smoke, ash, burnt caramel, cloves, anise, chamomile, licorice, molasses. Long and pleasant. 22/25

Balance: very pleasant Ardbeg. Beautiful aroma and great, slightly dry taste. Except that, there’s much more than a decent aging time. We could say: finally! At last! The fact is, that since decades, the distillery presents us more and less successfully made NASes… and here we get 19 years old malt. However, there is a lack of something here in Traigh Bhan. I think, extra 10 percent of ABV would be perfect. Oh, it would be a marvelous dram! 22/25

Overall: 89/100

Other opinions

whiskybase: 88.73 / 100 based on 552 votes

whiskyfun (2019): 88/100

Price: definitely not the cheapest edition, Ladies and Gentlemen! 😉

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