Ardbeg 19 yo - Traigh Bhan - Batch 6

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 46.2% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Batch 6 of the annually changing Traigh Bhan series matured for 19 years in a combination of bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks. This small-batch release combines powerful peat smoke with dark chocolate notes and minty freshness. Distilled in 2005, the whisky was bottled in 2024 at 46.2%, without chill filtration or added colouring.

Olive oil, freshly cut grass and ginger provide distinctive aromatic accents alongside soot and tar. Smoked pineapple, dark chocolate and peppermint complement the smoky flavours. The series takes its name from Traigh Bhan beach on Islay, where the sand makes singing sounds underfoot.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose reveals a subtle hint of olive oil, accompanied by freshly cut grass, ginger, soot and tar. A delicate biscuit note recalls chocolate-coated ginger biscuits. Adding water also brings out fennel, peppermint, eucalyptus and tarred rope on the nose.
• Palate: On the palate, the slightly oily mouthfeel gives way to an intense minty sweetness. Toast, creosote and tar soap follow, along with a hint of smoked pineapple. Deep flavours of dark chocolate, peppermint cream, campfire embers and camphor then emerge.
• Finish: The long finish slowly fades with coffee grounds and liquorice. Peat smoke and spicy sweetness linger.

Distillery/Bottler:

Ardbeg produces the whisky on Islay; Batch 6 is an official distillery bottling. Ardbeg peats its malt to at least 55 ppm, a figure referring to the malt's phenol content. On the spirit still, used for the second distillation, the distillery employs a purifier that condenses heavier vapours and returns them for redistillation. The additional copper contact and increased reflux help combine powerful peat smoke with fruity and sweet notes.

Facts: