Ardbeg Distillery announced the release of two whiskies, the Ardbeg 17 Years Old and Ardbeg Traigh Bhan, a 19-year expression.

The distillery is reviving the fabled Ardbeg 17 Years Old in a limited edition shared exclusively with the Ardbeg Committee. Revered for its delicate smoky notes, the original 17 Years Old bottling from the Islay distillery was a true icon of its time. This revival limited edition pays tribute to those who have made Ardbeg 17 the legend that it is – from the whisky’s creators to the fans who tirelessly lobbied for its return.

Released a quarter century ago in 1997, Ardbeg 17 Years Old was one of the first whiskies to leave the Distillery when it reopened after being saved from extinction by The Glenmorangie Company. The bottling soon became a firm favorite among the Distillery’s most dedicated fans during the early days of its resurgence. Stalwarts of the Ardbeg Committee mourned the whisky’s loss when it was retired in 2004, and they have been calling for the single malt’s revival ever since.

From the inner sanctum of their sensory laboratory, the Distillery’s Whisky Creation Team heard the lament for Ardbeg 17 Years Old loud and clear. And while they usually look to the future and their next trailblazing smoky creation, they challenged themselves to retrace their steps and bring the flavor profile of that old favorite back to life, one delicately smoky note at a time.

But doing so was no mean feat – even breaking one of the Distillery’s own golden rules; today, Ardbeg usually has an ABV of 46% or higher and is always non-chill-filtered. But on their mission to replicate Ardbeg 17 Years Old’s classic character, the whisky creation team combined peated and unpeated stock, and tweaked their typical production process to be able to bottle Ardbeg 17 Years Old at 40% ABV, and chill-filter the whisky – just as it used to be.

“When we meet die-hard Ardbeg Committee members, the conversation often turns to Ardbeg 17 Years Old,” Master Blender Gillian Macdonald said in a news release. “After pondering for some time how we could bring this favorite back to life, we landed on a delicious recipe that honors the character of the original 17 Years Old both in aroma, flavor, and texture.  

“Ardbeg fans can expect to find classic aromas of pine resin and sea spray, as well as a mineral note layered with malted barley – all underpinned by delicate smoke. In tribute to the Ardbeg folk past and present who made this whisky an icon, we’re very excited to bring an Islay legend back to life, allowing a new generation of whisky lovers to experience an iconic Ardbeg that they’ve heard so much about.” 

Available exclusively to members of the Ardbeg Committee, Ardbeg 17 Years Old will be available online at Reservebar.com, select retailers, whisky specialists and at the Distillery Visitor Centre on Islay, from September 24^th for an RRP of $189.99.

Read more: Ardbeg Islay Releases Madeira-Aged The Unicorn’s Tale

Ardbeg Traigh Bhan

Ardbeg also unveiled the sixth small-batch release of its 19-year-old whisky, Ardbeg Traigh Bhan (pronounced “Tri-Van”). Inspired by the island of Islay’s beautiful Traigh Bhan beach, each annual, limited batch of this ever-changing dram reflects the striking contrasts of that place. 

With soft, white sand that hums beneath your feet, this beach is alluring – but it can also be treacherous. For while its crystal waters seem tame, jagged, volcanic rocks pierce the shore. Encapsulating the impossible balance of those serene sands and rocky outcrops, each rare batch of Ardbeg’s whisky is seductively smooth, until intense, rugged flavor notes break the surface. 

Like its award-winning predecessors, Batch 6 is aged in bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks. However, with more refilled bourbon casks in its recipe, this bottling invites more of Ardbeg’s bold spirit character to surge forth. 

Each bottling of Traigh Bhan carries its own unique batch code, batch symbol and the signature of one of Ardbeg’s iconic faces – this year, Head Warehouse Operator Dugga Bowman. 

He said: “Inspired by one of Islay’s most beautiful beaches, this sixth batch of Ardbeg Traigh Bhan will go down a storm with Ardbeggians. I hope they will enjoy discovering the differences between batches of our ever-changing whisky – and debating their favorites with fellow smoky malt lovers.”

“Ardbeg Traigh Bhan gives our Whisky Creation Team freedom to explore the unique flavor differences which individual batches can bring,” Macdonald added. “With more refill bourbon casks in the recipe than previous bottlings, Batch 6 overflows with more of Ardbeg’s hallmark smoky notes of soot, dark chocolate, coffee and peppermint, alongside a groundswell of olive oil, baking bread, and ginger. Rare and impossibly balanced, this batch will be a firm favorite with Traigh Bhan’s fans.” 

Ardbeg 19 Years Old Traigh Bhan Batch 6 will be available to buy from whisky specialists, online at ReserveBar.com and select retailers.

Read more: Ardbeg Islay Releases The Abyss 34-Year Scotch

About Ardbeg

Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by connoisseurs worldwide. Despite its smokiness, Ardbeg is renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as ‘the peaty paradox’. During the 1980s and 1990s, Ardbeg suffered from an uncertain future, and it was not until the brand was purchased by The Glenmorangie Company in 1997 that the Distillery was saved from extinction. Today, Ardbeg is well-established as a niche, cult malt, with a passionate following. For more information, visit www.ardbeg.com.