COLOUR : Bronze
AROMA : Fresh and clean, with hints of pine resin, aniseed, sea spray and lavender soap- very gentle, very restrained, and rather elegant for an Ardbeg. With water, there is a distinctive, flinty minerality, along with subtle hints of sweet peat smoke, malted barley, and a touch of toasting bread.
TASTE : A beautiful, creamy texture is followed by a lovely combination of flavours, with aniseed toffee, café latte, fennel and gentle antiseptic soap. The peat smoke is present, but in a very restrained manner, and leads into a lingering aftertaste with chewy oak, cocoa powder and tar.
FINISH : The peat smoke is present, but in a very restrained manner, and leads into a lingering aftertaste with chewy oak, cocoa powder and tar.
A viscous mouthfeel bursts forth to introduce a sparkling array of salty, sweet, and savoury flavours. Peat smoke, eucalyptus oil, minty chocolate and toffee mingle with smoked pecans, creosote, and tar. Subtle sweet pear crumble and fudge lurk in the background.
From the Ardbeg Distillery to Port Ellen and beyond, follow the rocky coast and you will discover the heavenly vista of Traigh Bhan (pronounced tri-van), the beautiful beach known locally as the Singing Sands…
For this captivating place has soft white sands that sing beneath your feet, a hum that ebbs and flows with the winds and the tides. But beguiling as this place is, do not drop your guard. Bathing is ill-advised in the seemingly tame crystal waters where jagged, volcanic rocks pierce the sands along the shore.
Exceptionally rare, this small batch 19 year old Ardbeg displays notes of HERBAL PINE, bracing MINT CHOCOLATE and CITRUSY LEMON on the nose. A rich smokiness gives way to PEANUT BRITTLE and SMOKED CURRANTS, with waves of ANISEED, HAZELNUT, and PEPPER. A satisfyingly long finish brings with it notes of VANILLA FUDGE and CLOVE.
"Batch 4 is another incredible dram. Bottled under a full moon, tides have certainly shifted for this Traigh Bhan. More herbal and uniquely mentholic, this is a new take on our exquisite 19 year old series!" - Dr Bill Lumsden, Master Distiller
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 is 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.
This whisky was distilled on 20th February 2013 and aged in single second-fill ex-Manzanilla butt #247.
It was bottled at cask strength on 9th September 2021.
One of 670 bottles which were made exclusive to Ardbeg Embassies.
Aroma : A pungent burst of smoked cream, peppermint and toffee, with Ardbeg’s classic fennel and pine resin. Distant earthy bonfires mix with herbal and fruity (banana & tropical) notes, along with fragrant candle wax.
Taste : An extremely vibrant, hot peppery mouthfeel, leads in to a burst of sherbet lemon sweetness (candied apples, pears & oranges), hints of carbolic soap and tar, more creamytoffee, aniseedand chilli pepper.
Finish : A long, mellow, lingering aftertaste, with lots of cream, fudge and delicate antiseptic notes. An elegant, soothing style of Ardbeg.
Super pale, like fino sherry, but don’t be mistaken to thinking that it's gentle….a hefty dollop of iodine and peat smoke, with ginger and some green apple notes. Certainly my favourite from this Islay Clan
Colour
Bright Auric
Aroma
Very fresh, herbal, with hints of vanilla, pear, freshly
cracked black pepper, honey-glazed ham. Rich Turkish
coffee, sappy pine resin.
With water, more herbal notes like vetiver and fennel,
along with aniseed, green apple and leather.
Taste
A rich, explosive mouthfeel with lots of chocolate, tar,
creosote and smoked bacon, followed by a burst of
antiseptic lozenges, eucalyptus and more aniseed.
Finish
A long, salty and mouthcoating finish with hints of
cocoa, fudge and savoury meats.
