Ardbeg 19 year Traign Bhan batch 6 Review [In Depth]
Ardbeg 19 year Traign Bhan batch 6
by: ALEX WANG
Founder, writer
Founder, writer
Ardbeg 19 year Traign Bhan batch 6 Details
Distillery: Ardbeg
Type & Region: Single Malt Scotch, Scotland
Alcohol: 46.2%
Composition: 100% malted barley
Aged: At least 19 years
Color: 1.1/2.0 on the color scale (burnished)
Price: $300
From the company website:
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.
SWEET BEGINNINGS
Gentle hints of olive oil lap over the senses. Touches of tar and chocolate ginger biscuit merge delicately with a curious aroma of freshly cut grass. A splash of water reveals a sooty surge of more vintage Ardbeg notes in peppermint, tarry rope, peat smoke and fennel.
A CLASSIC CRESCENDO
A slightly oily mouthcoating leads into an intense, minty sweetness. Waves of signature Ardbeg notes in creosote, coal tar soap and bonfire embers follow. Whiffs of smoked pineapple and toasted bread swirl around deep, rich flavours of dark chocolate, peppermint cream and camphor. A long and unhurried finish carries with it notes of coffee grounds and liquorice.
Ardbeg 19 year Traign Bhan batch 6 overview
I’ll keep this short. Ardbeg 19 year Traigh Bhan Batch 6 is a 19 year old single malt scotch from Islay that is matured in American oak and Oloroso sherry casks. Apparently compared to years past, this batch uses more bourbon cask in the blend.
That’s all I have to write and I’ll let the Scotch do the talking in this Ardbeg 19 year Traigh Bhan Batch 6 Single Malt review.
This sample was provided at no cost to me. All opinions are still my own.
As an FYI, I bought and use these Glencairn glasses for everything (they’re the best): Glencairn Crystal Whiskey Glass Set of 6, Set of 4, Set of 2, or just one. Full transparency, this is an affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon.
Ardbeg 19 year Traign Bhan batch 6 smell
I smell smoked honey, seaweed, mesquite smoke, dried pineapple, lightly toasted oak, baked red apple, dried mushrooms, ash, and some brighter tropical floralness. Even though my notes mention a lot of peat-related traits, Ardbeg 19 Year Traign Bhan isn’t all that vegetal or smoky, although I’ve gotten used to it over the years so you may still find it to be very smoky. It’s definitely smoky, no doubt about that, but it brings a nice savoriness.
I don’t know much going into this review (I didn’t look into this whiskey before reviewing it), but it smells that it was predominantly matured in ex-bourbon casks and maybe some virgin / French oak. There’s no dark fruit or berry to indicate that there’s sherry or port cask in here.
That said, there isn’t that much tropical pop or vibrance from what I believe is the ex-bourbon casks. The richness and overall fragrance are pleasant, but there’s not much vibrance or definition yet.
After swirling and rest, I get smoky honey, dried seaweed, starfruit, toasted oak, burnt / toasted vegetalness (kind of like mezcal), clove, pineapple, dried green apple, and a little toasted malt. Ardbeg 19 Year Traign Bhan Batch 6 continues to offer a pleasant mix of fruit, tropical fruit, and peat, but it doesn’t have that next gear of goodness.
It doesn’t have that high level of richness, depth, pop, and complexity that should come from Scotch this expensive, or even for one that’s under $150 for that matter. I’ve smelled sub-$150 scotches and Japanese whiskeys that offer more compelling scents than this does.
Ardbeg 19 year Traign Bhan batch 6 taste and aftertaste
I taste smoky honey, candied pineapple, seaweed, roasted oak, vanilla, cinnamon, toasted malt, preserved lemon, and some green grapes. The bourbon cask maturation comes through more with tropical fruitiness and vibrance, and that’s all coated in moderate smokiness that brings savory, smoky, and slightly seaweed-y flavors. The mouthfeel has good body, which aids the flavors.
So far it tastes very good, but for now it doesn’t have a lot of impact, life, or oomph to it. I emphasize yet because “chewing” may bring that out, but we’ll find out shortly.
With intense “chewing”, I taste richer smoky honey, starfruit, dried seaweed and mushrooms, vanilla, lemon, roasted oak, ash (like the more burnt bits of a pizza crust coming out of a 700 degree pizza oven).
Yup, “chewing” pulls out more richness and pop, marrying the bright and tropical fruit from the bourbon casks with the savory + vegetal + earthy peat. It’s a nice change, but at the same time I don’t feel like it has enough richness, expressiveness, and layers to get to “Top Shelf”. There’s also some unexpected harshness for a 19 year old malt, especially for 46.2% ABV, which I wouldn’t consider to be high.
The finish leaves smoky honey, dried seaweed (think nori – the dried seaweed that goes on sushi), toasted oak, starfruit, and some dried mushrooms with lingering dried seaweed, dried mushrooms, sweet lemon, and ash
I wish that this was so much better…because this drinks like a sub-$100 single malt to me.
I’ve unfortunately lost some Glencairn’s while in transit, and that made me very sad. So, I wised up and bought this Glencairn Travel Case that comes also comes with 2 glasses so I don’t need to worry so much about them breaking. I think it’s great, and I think you’ll love it too.
Seriously, if you already have glasses, protect them.
Ardbeg 19 year Traign Bhan batch 6 Rating
Ardbeg 19 Year Traign Bhan is a nice single malt, but it’s not anything special, unique, or outstanding. It’s even more painful to state that when it’ll take $300 out of your wallet and then leave you wanting a whole lot more. That hurts to write too because I wanted it to be so much better than it actually is.
I don’t have much experience with Ardbeg so I don’t really know what their “Top Shelf” whiskey is like, but I’ve had enough Scotch and Islay Scotch to know what I consider to be outstanding…and this is not it. It’s hard to say why this is the way it is, but it drinks younger than it should.
A lot of my negative tone comes from my experience with Islay Single Malt and peated Scotch in general. There’s compelling stuff out there for far less than $300. I get it, 19 year old Scotch is inherently expensive and that’s ok, but Ardbeg had every opportunity to deliver on the mega-premium experience.
Is Laphroaig 10 Year Cask Strength going to give you a close enough experience for about ⅓ the price? Yes, I think so. Would even something like Yoichi 10 Year Japanese Whiskey do it for around half (assuming MSRP)? Again…yes. Shoot, Bruichladdich 10 Year Port Charlotte for under $100 is more interesting.
This is one to avoid. Save that money and go buy something else.
Meet the Author: Alex
I have far too much fun writing about whiskey and singlehandedly running The Whiskey Shelf to bring you independent, honest, and useful reviews, comparisons, and more. I’m proudly Asian American and can speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and some Japanese.
There are no sponsors, no media companies, and no nonsense. Support The Whiskey Shelf by Buying Me A Shot.
Shattered glass really sucks, so if you’re on the move, this Glencairn-like stainless steel snifter glass should survive your travels. Full transparency, this is an Amazon affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon.
BrüMate NOS’R, Double-Wall Stainless Steel Whiskey Nosing Glass – 7oz (Matte Black)
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