Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 year old. Whisky review

I wasn't expecting to get to try this new release from Ardbeg as the price point is a few steps beyond what I'm willing to pay for a bottle. Luckily I won a couple of samples from Roy @ Aqvavitae in a vPub.
I have high expectations of anything with this price tag, so was keen to see if it lived up to the hype!
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This video is intended for people of legal drinking age only. Observe the alcohol laws in your country!

[@foodquig]

Great comparison... You've almost hit the 1000 subscriber milestone!

[@WhiskyGeek]

Cheers foodquig - just hit it last night! Wooooooo 😁🥃👍

[@AlinJapan]

Holy Moly, you have some very refined descriptors! The sign of a genuine Whisky Geek! Slainte!

[@WhiskyGeek]

Haha, lots of practice 😜 Thanks Alan 🥃👍

[@romanb8154]

Ha! Jo going full Deepa on that glass of Ardbeg at the end... Lovely.

[@WhiskyMystery]

Deepa takes that as a compliment :-)

[@romanb8154]

@@WhiskyMystery It absolutely is!!

[@silverlochwhiskyreviews6157]

😂😂👍

[@WhiskyGeek]

No hesitation! She has months of 'no whisky' to make up for 😜

[@WhiskyWhims]

After watching this review I am rather glad that I picked up a bottle of this stuff. Hope everything is well with yourself and Jo as well as wee Stuart, that is what I shall call Brian from now on. Cheers Ben. "I want that one but for that price" TRUER WORDS!!!!

[@WhiskyGeek]

It's a good one to have already bought 😉 Chaotic on this side, but I feel that is going to be a recurring theme for the next ~18+ years haha. Cheers Stuart 🥃👍

[@WhiskyWhims]

@@WhiskyGeek 😂😂 18+, I'm glad you didn't exclude the plus because they are there for the rest of your time 👍 cheers

[@mickodonnell2530]

Really enjoyed your analysis. Your tone of voice and cadence has a hypno-therapy like quality. I intend to drink a glass of Ardbeg 10 in the dark whilst listening to your assessment again. I'm sure I'll have a lovely Ardbeggy experience and, when I return from being "under" I will hopefully find a spare £130 in my pocket along with the sweet smoky taste of victory.Slanjeevaurus🐢

[@WhiskyGeek]

Haha, so dull it's putting you to sleep? 😜 Would be great to wake up to a spare £130, or better yet, a bottle of this ready and waiting 😁 Cheers Mick 🥃👍

[@christopherdavid446]

I am glad you reviewed this Ben as I like to hear your take on things. I personally didn't think much of my bottle when I first opened it and was somewhat disappointed after spending $300 US. That being said, the bottle has opened up nicely after a few weeks and every time I go back I like it more and more.

[@WhiskyGeek]

Yeah that was something Roy mentioned to me when he sent the sample - he was pleased to get to share it with people after the bottle had been open for a little bit as he thought it had improved too. I keep finding that with Ardbegs, pop it open and get it past the shoulder then leave it for a month or so and there's a big improvement 👌 Thanks Christopher 🥃👍

[@russell3733]

Great review, Ben. I’ve tried the two 20-somethings from Ardbeg at whisky festivals in the last few years and thought they were both excellent drams while considering their prices to be completely unrealistic (400 and 500 euros). This one is somewhat "cheaper“ compared to that but, as you say, still prohibitively high for most whisky enthusiasts (170 quid on first offer). Best thing to do would probably be to buy a bottle jointly with a few mates and share it around. In the meantime, I’ll keep on enjoying the core range. Cheers!

[@WhiskyGeek]

Not had chance to try their 20-somethings though I've seen a lot of praise for them! I too found the price prohibitive so put them out of mind as 'unicorn whiskies'. It does put this 19 in context though, you pay a lot more for those few extra years! Thanks Russell 🥃👍

[@wernerjacq]

Well done mate, very easygoing, but focused review. Good choice on the ending with the blind taste. Excellent! I also like your charts where you deconstruct and define tastegroups that are spot on and well grouped and described...

[@WhiskyGeek]

Thanks wernerjacq! 🥃👍

[@davidowen2834]

Good video. Like the way you get someone in to ask their opinion. Good description of an ardbeg that i unfortunately can't afford. 👍🥃

[@WhiskyGeek]

Yeah it's a pricey bottle for sure! Thanks David 🥃👍

[@silverlochwhiskyreviews6157]

Great review as usual Ben! Thanks!

[@WhiskyGeek]

Thanks Silver Loch Whisky Club 🥃👍

[@maltymission]

excellent review once again Ben, you really manage to lay out the full spectrum of what this whisky has to offer ad it sounds like an absloute belter. Unfortunately, this is really hard to get hold off in Belgium without having to pay over €250 a bottle, but if given the chance to try this, I 'll pull a Jo on it and be all over that Ardbeg in a heartbeat.

[@WhiskyGeek]

Haha, definitely worth trying if you get the chance! €250 is painful, a lot of alternatives within that price bracket. Thanks menno whisky wiseguy 🥃👍

[@mendipfox1650]

Great insight. I did managed to get a bottle of this at retail. Haven’t opened it yet. The price did make me pause for thought before buying it. Had it not been 19 year old Ardbeg, I doubt I would have bought it. Interestingly enough, I did just turn down the new Longrow 21 @ £199. Just thought they are asking a little too much for it given it’s not cask strength like a lot of other younger Springbank/Longrows. Any way I digress. Love Caol Ila 18. It’s be great to see a review in the near future.

[@WhiskyGeek]

Cracking expression of Ardbeg - have you opened yours yet or holding on to it? I've seen a lot of praise for the Longrow 21's recently too, but again the price is prohibitive for me. I'd be watching my wallet deflate as I sipped it! The Caol Ila's will be coming up at some point, got the 12 and Port Askaig to go with the 18 😉 Thanks Mendip Fox 🥃👍

[@mendipfox1650]

Whisky Geek jury’s out on the Ardbeg 19. Might drink it this Christmas. Prices haven’t skyrocketed which is nice to see. I did buy to drink. Looking forward to the Caol Ila 18 review! Slainte 🥃

[@ScatteredTv]

Noticing your written notes on the desk in this video, where would i find a taste graph like yours?

[@WhiskyGeek]

Hi ScatteredTv, those tasting sheets are something I've made available to my Patrons as a thank you for supporting me. There are loads of other flavour wheels available too though! I put mine together to suit my palate a bit better, after scribbling loads of notes down and reading a couple of Charles MacLean's books 🥃👍

[@hman9488]

Ardbeg 19 is incredible! Great review! I did pull the trigger on 2x bottles, fear that batch 2 doesn't live up to the first 😂

[@saschaoswald480]

I got one bottle for the same reason, so I wouldn't have to hear about how amazing batch 1 was and how the later batches weren't quite the same....plus the price is only going to go up on the later releases!

[@WhiskyGeek]

I get the impression they are going to try and maintain as close a profile to batch 1 as they can, though based on some of the Oogie & Corry batch discrepancies that may not be so close after all 😉 You never know, it may get better! 🤞 At least you will be in the position to judge when batch 2 does arrive 🥃👍

[@WhiskyGeek]

@Sascha Oswald Ah nostalgia is a powerful thing. "It" was always better in the past!

[@thomasbuck303]

@@saschaoswald480 ppl who do the comparison actually prefer batch 2

[@agrainofmalt]

Mm mm mm! Damn I wish it were cheaper... would love to buy a bottle too! Jo's reaction said it all :)

[@WhiskyGeek]

Yeah that price tag really limits accessibility for most folks. Shame as it's a cracking bottle! There are lots willing to pay those prices and more for Ardbeg though. Jo doesn't even really like peaty whisky 😂

[@agrainofmalt]

@@WhiskyGeek it's a once in a lifetime bottle almost for me.. or a Xmas special ;) Yet already sold out immediately before I'm good and ready haha I'm sure I'll get to try some in a bar, or in Scotland next year sometime :P

[@peterwilcox7188]

Hi Ben,,,great review as usual,,nice to see the lady in your life is able to have a dram with you now,can i ask where did you purchase your thistle glass from please,,i watched the phil and dipa episode where she drank from it,would quite like one even just to keep,,cheers and all the best to you and yours👍

[@WhiskyGeek]

It is great to get to share a dram with Jo again! I got these from Amazon but struggle to find them now. They were called Grappa Amalfi glasses, though that just throws up some similar but different designs now ☹ I'm planning on giving away a pair on a live stream soon to celebrate the channels 1 year anniversary 😁 Thanks Peter 🥃👍

[@peterwilcox7188]

@@WhiskyGeek I'll keep an eye open for that.cheers.

[@leewoodrow]

I like the end, just give me that glass!

[@joannaclarkson6432]

It was a good whisky!!

[@WhiskyGeek]

And that's from someone who doesn't normally like the peated stuff!

[@WhiskyMystery]

Great review. Jo has the right idea :-)

[@WhiskyGeek]

Jo's making up for lost time - planning to relive our Islay trip with her and sample a bunch of the whiskies we brought back so she can finally get to appreciate them!

[@WhiskyMystery]

@@WhiskyGeek Enjoy them

[@TheJoly88]

Seemed you don't update the channel anymore, it's so sad.

[@ROPname]

Awesome guest :P seems to have a moochs' soul

[@WhiskyGeek]

Haha, I think she's awesome too 😉 Not afraid to claim something if she likes it! Will be trouble once she's no longer breast feeding and doesn't need to be restrained 😜 Thanks ROPname 🥃👍

[@TheLastDrop]

Very interesting Ben. Price is one hell of a sticking point for me though.

[@WhiskyGeek]

Yeah you're not the only one! Lots of alternatives for that price bracket. A lot of great whisky at 1/2 and 1/3rd of the price even! Thanks Chris 🥃👍

[@pow4155]

Hi Ben! Ardbeg lovers ready to pay any price even for NASes (Supernova coming)... But objectively, I can't spend so much money and enjoy it not converting sips into money in my mind. And comparison to Caol Ila is not really fair, lower proof, chilfiltered... It is better to compare to Laphroaig 18 yo. Thank you!

[@WhiskyGeek]

I suffer the same train of thought on my more expensive whiskies! Anything over £100 and I see my wallet deflate with each sip haha. Unfortunately I don't have the Laphroaig 18, or many other non Feis Ile Islay bottlings of a similar age apart from the Caol Ila. Shame the Laphroaig is still coloured at that age though! Thanks PoW 🥃👍

[@pow4155]

@@WhiskyGeek I feel you, i just have 100 euros limit... You're right about coloring... So the only competitor with no chill filtration and no coloring, same strnght and age range (1year and 0.3% + for Ardbeg) ex- bourbon and sherry casks would be Longrow 18...

[@pow4155]

@@WhiskyGeek Hi Ben , Merry Christmas! So... we (me and my wife) did blind testing of SN2019. + Drum Committee release and Octomore 8.1. Together we place Octomore on a first place, it seemed matured and interesting with a nice fruits. Next SN, with its rubbish character, yet a lot of fruits, but couldn't take 1st place, and last one was Drum, not because its bad, just 2 others was better, not a lot of rum trace and comparatively spirity.

[@dylanhamilton2455]

Subscribed. You got Instagram?