Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Year Batch 2 (2020)

Another year another Ardbeg 19 year. Lets jump in and we'll get to house keeping at the end. Nose - classic ardbeg smoke and peat. Light sweetness from candied cigars I so often get on islay. There's lemon lime fruit, some raisins, and a sweet decadent sherry. All this with some vanilla notes floating around. I think of this has smoke meets citrus and spice. It's like being on a beach with a pig roast and you're drinking some kinda of fruity cocktail in the sun. Taste - the citrus lemon lime is all over this one up front, really reminds me of the 10 turned up to 100. I've said that about the batch one but this is WAY more obvious. Up front there's a good bit of ardbeg salt and peat, then as it fades to the middle part of the experience smoke billows up, and the finish is old oak casks that bring with it some oak spice and then just a damn good oak profile. The finish is very long and really deep and rich. I'm actually pretty impressed. VS last years you say? Nose - instantly last years is darker, richer, and frankly no fruity. They make notes of chocolate and chill on the 2019 and while I never really went there, next to the 2020's lemon lime notes, yeah I can see chocolate here. The 2019 brings with it more spice up front, more of a chocolate oloroso note for sure, but the finish is significantly less impressive. I also get more menthol on the 2019. The 2020 is distinctly different so anyone thinking having had last year's means you've had this years should think again. I do like the upfront flavor profile on the 2019 better, but finish and even mouth feel on the 2020 seems to be a step above, perhaps two steps above on the finish. Now I did find the 2019 opened up a lot over time and the lemon lime did fade a bit for me but was still there even in my recent review I did with Mike over on his youtube channel (video might not be up for a few weeks). So I am a bit interested in if this one expands and changes as much as last year's has done so far in the bottle. I think I was too generous with the 4.0 last year on the 19 and I'm correcting it here with a 3.5 on this one and will be adjusted the old one to a 3.5 as well. Gun to head I think I like the 2020 better and I do believe the 2019 got better with time so this might be move to a 3.75 with some time. So retail in the US will be at least 300 again and I got this in the UK for about 215 + 20-30 in shipping. And easy buy 2 at the 240 all in price point. A difficult recommendation if you're looking at 320+ after tax in the US. But if you're an ardbeg fan, this delivers and it isn't crap like Drum and the Blaaack were.