This September Ardbeg will launch the fifth bottling of its permanent 19-year-old expression, Ardbeg Traigh Bhan. Produced in small batches and released year on year, this exceptionally rare and ever-changing whisky draws its inspiration from Islay’s Traigh Bhan beach, known locally as the Singing Sands.
For Traigh Bhan Batch 5, careful variations in cask selection have led to a captivating evolution of the flavor profile. Matured in classic Ardbeg ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, this whisky ventures into sweeter, more tropical waters. Notes of fresh green peppers, smoked mango and guava mingle with maple bacon on the nose. A deep smokiness gives way to toasted tonka beans and white pepper, with waves of aniseed, burnt heather and spiced chive. A satisfyingly long finish brings with it notes of warm toffee fudge and smoked butter.
The Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Years Old series is one which has been globally recognized for its impossible balance and utmost quality, reflected in an extraordinary list of accolades and awards, including Gold Awards from the IWSC (International Wine and Spirits Competition) and ISC (International Spirits Challenge).
Each batch carries its own unique code, batch symbol and initials from one of the Distillery’s famous faces – this year it’s Gillian Macdonald, Ardbeg’s Master Blender & Head of Whisky Creation, who said: “Ardbeg 19 Years Old Traigh Bhan Batch 5 brings with it a vibrant profile bursting with smoked maple cured bacon, warm toffee and herbal essence, alongside tropical hints of luscious mango, guava and coconut – a side of this series that fans are yet to experience. We are thrilled to offer whisky lovers and collectors across the globe an
opportunity to explore another new take on this impossibly balanced favorite. We hope that this bottling will spark conversations between Ardbeggians and their friends about the finer details of this ever-changing dram.”
Ardbeg 19 Years Old Traigh Bhan Batch 5 will be available to buy from whisky specialists, Ardbeg Embassies,online at Reservebar.com, at selected retailers and from the Ardbeg Distillery. To learn more about this bottling and be the first to know about any future Ardbeg whiskies, join the Ardbeg Committee today.
TASTING NOTES:
Name: Ardbeg Traigh Bhan (pronounced tri-van) Batch 5
Age: 19 Years Old
ABV: 46.2%
Price: $349.99
AN IMPOSSIBLY BALANCED WHISKY. HERBAL &MENTHOLIC.
Color – Sparkling Sunrise
Nose – Perfumed aromas of luscious tropical fruit flow on the breeze, while
curious notes of herbal incense and smoke follow closely behind.
Menthol lozenge and saddle soap laps over charred green pepper,
before smoked mango, guava and coconut mingle in an effervescing
top note.
Taste – A creamy mouthfeel leads the way into a crashing symphony of
herbal, spicy flavors. Smoked maple cured bacon, charcoal, white
pepper and clove rush forth amid gentle overtones of the outdoors in
wood smoke and sea spray.
Finish – A satisfyingly long finish brings more tropical notes, with fragrant
heather, warm toffee and smoked butter on the horizon.
About Ardbeg
Ardbeg prides itself on being The Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky. Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by connoisseurs around the world as the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts. Despite its smokiness, Ardbeg is renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as ‘the peaty paradox’. During the 1980s and 1990s, Ardbeg suffered from an uncertain future, and it was not until the brand was purchased by The Glenmorangie Company in 1997 that the Distillery was saved from extinction. Since then, the Distillery has risen like a phoenix and today Ardbeg is well established as a niche, cult malt, with a passionate following.
Ardbeg Committee
The legacy of the whisky was safeguarded in 2000 by the formation of the Ardbeg Committee. The Committee is made up of thousands of Ardbeg followers worldwide who are keen to ensure that “the doors of Ardbeg never close again”. Today there are more than 180,000 members of the Ardbeg Committee in over 130 countries. Committee Members are regularly consulted on new bottlings and expressions and are offered exclusive Committee bottlings. Members also receive invitations to special gatherings, tastings and events. The Committee, chaired by Jackie Thomson, is free to join at Ardbeg.com.
Awards
Ardbeg is revered around the globe for its complex smoky, sweet balance, known as the ‘peaty paradox’ and continues to delight the industry with its highly acclaimed whiskies – winning a combined 68 Gold, Double Gold, Platinum, and Double Platinum medals at the major Spirits competitions in 2022-2023.
In 2022, Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Years Old was awarded Double Platinum at ASCOT Awards, Gold at the San Francisco Wine & Spirits Competition, and won the Finalist award at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge.
The Ardbeg Distillery was awarded Distillery of the Year for the fourth time in 2022 at the International Whisky Competition. In 2023, The Ardbeg Distillery was awarded Islay Distillery of the Year for the fourth year in a row at the New York International Spirits Competition.
About The Glenmorangie Company
The Company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers and marketers of Scotch whisky brands worldwide and is part of Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Company produces Glenmorangie Single Highland Malt whisky and Ardbeg Single Islay Malt.
For More Information:
https://www.ardbeg.com/en-int/home