Spending slow time with Traìgh Bhan has been a meditative aesthetic experience. I’m never underwhelmed and always impressed by what I’ve had from Ardbeg, but this one is second to none. I smell kefir lime leaves, sandalwood, pitch, and buttered sardines at the base. Wet limestone, canned chipotles, and toasted sunflower seeds make up the upper- and outermost nuances in this centrifuge of aromas. The palate is perfumey and ethereal. I taste Ceylon cinnamon, lotus flower, and bright moss at first. Smoked trout and chili stuffed green olives are consistent, supportive notes. Then, a punch of fruit dazzles the tongue: starfruit, lime zest, pineapple gummy bear, and a gentle hint of salted cantaloupe. These flavors are revealed slowly, patiently opening and unveiling. The finish is ozonic and saline; vintage oak, lanolin, and salted fruit have the final word. An ode to earth and temporality.