Ardbeg – Traigh Bhan 19 Year Old Batch 2 (70cl)

This is Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Year Old Batch 2, an Islay single malt in a 70cl bottle with a gift box. It was matured in American oak and Oloroso sherry casks and is a permanent expression released in batches each year. Batch 2 was bottled during a haar, the sea mist. The nose offers sweet wood smoke and tart crème fraîche with fennel, celeriac and roasted tea leaves. Water brings out seaspray, leather, eucalyptus oil and pine. The palate is intensely salty and turns medicinal, with aniseed, fudge, birch tar and peat smoke. The finish is long, sharp and intense, with savoury notes and smoke.