Ardbeg An Oa - 46.6%

From the Ardbeg website:

Ardbeg An Oa is singularly rounded, due in no small part to time spent in our newly established bespoke oak Gathering Vat where whiskies from several cask types - including; sweet Pedro Ximenez; spicy virgin charred oak; and intense ex-bourbon casks, amongst others - familiarise themselves with each other. The result is a dram with smoky power, mellowed by a delectable, smooth sweetness. Hallmark Ardbeg peat, dark chocolate and aniseed are wrapped in smooth, silky butterscotch, black pepper and clove, before rising to an intense crescendo of flavour.

Non chill-filtered with a strength of 46.6% ABV.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Old gold, forms a thin line which breaks before falling as slow, thick legs.

Nose: Closed at first, gradually opens up to reveal butterscotch toffee, a little orange and lemon citrus and a faint hint of conifer resin.

Palate: Opens with rich fruit cake batter, dry peat smoke, dark chocolate coated butterscotch, lime zest, a hint of tobacco leaf and drying nutty oak. Black pepper and just a hint of cloves provide warmth.

Finish: Gently smoky with muscovado sugar, nutty toffee and a touch of black pepper.

Summary: A very enjoyable whisky, not quite as ‘in your face’ as the 10 year old expression with a gentler peat smoke and more emphasis on chocolate and butterscotch notes. Well constructed and very well balanced with no sharp edges, this was designed to be a more approachable Ardbeg and it certainly achieves its mission.

Currently this is priced at a touch over £40, great quality and, at an abv of 46.6%, another great value core range Ardbeg. Definitely one worth consideration for anybody looking either for an introduction to the distillery, or an Ardbeg 10 fan seeking something familiar but subtly different.

If you would like more information on this whisky, or the Ardbeg distillery, follow the link to the company website.

Transparency: No goods or other incentives were exchanged, offered or requested for this independent review.