Ardbeg is bringing its signature smoke to both sea and air. The Islay distillery has just launched two expressions, Ardbeg Traigh Bhan Batch 5 and Ardbeg Anthology: The Harpy’s Tale, that highlight both tradition and innovation.
The fifth bottling of its permanent 19-year-old expression, Ardbeg Traigh Bhan is produced in small batches and released year on year and draws its inspiration from Islay’s Traigh Bhan beach, known locally as the Singing Sands. Matured in Ardbeg ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, this 92 proof whisky ventures into sweeter, more tropical waters.
Each batch of Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 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. “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,” says Macdonald. “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.”
For the first release in its new Anthology Collection, a range of experimental single malts matured in cask types that are completely new to the distillery, Ardbeg has created Ardbeg Anthology: The Harpy’s Tale.
Aged for 13 years in a combination of classic ex-bourbon and sweet Sauternes wine casks. In homage to this unusual ‘hybrid’ style, its packaging takes inspiration from the fabled half-human and half-bird Harpy – an elusive, winged beast from ancient mythology.
“We have embarked on a bold maturation experiment to fuse Ardbeg’s signature smokiness with more nuanced, sweeter notes for our new release, The Harpy’s Tale – resulting in a very unusual and complex breed of Ardbeg,” said Dr. Bill Lumsden, Ardbeg Director of Distilling and Whisky Creation. “This is a dram that represents a battle between sweet and smoke – one I believe fans are yet to experience in an Ardbeg dram, and one that I’m sure they will be excited to taste for themselves. Collectively, the whiskies in the Anthology Collection will form a legendary, perfectly balanced and delicious series of rare and unusual Ardbegs, rich in both lore and taste. We look forward to revealing more in the Collection in the near future.”
Ardbeg 19 Years Old Traigh Bhan Batch 5 is available for $349.99. Ardbeg Anthology: The Harpy’s Tale is available for $164.99.
