Ardbeg An Oa Islay Single Malt Whisky 46.6% 70cl

Additional information

Bottle sizes	70cl
Viticulture	Vegan, Vegetarian Wines
Origin	Islay, Scotland
Vintage	NV

Description

Ardbeg An Oa Islay Single Malt Whisky is a brand new whisky release from this superb Islay distillery. It was first launched in the UK in September 2017. It is part of the Ardbeg core range of Scotch whiskies, including the 10 Year Old, Corryvreckan and Uigeadail. All available to buy now at Fareham Wine Cellar.

Ardbeg Whisky: An Islay Legend

The Ardbeg Distillery was officially founded in 1815 by the MacDougall family. It has seen a chequered history and struggled through the 1970s until it was mothballed in 1981. There was some sporadic production in the years thereafter until 1997, when Ardbeg was taken over by Glenmorangie Plc which was then owned by Pernod Ricard. Today, the distillery (along with Glenmorangie) is owned by Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy and grows from strength to strength. They are famous for their heavily peated whiskies however, the Ardbeg An Oa is a sweeter style and is a good entry point to the Ardbeg range for those who don’t like the full-on smoky, peaty experience.

Blended in Ardbeg’s “Gathering Vat”

Ardbeg An Oa is assembled in Ardbeg’s new, bespoke “Gathering Vat”. It is in here that the various components of the blend are blended and melded together.

Ardbeg An Oa Whisky Profile

A blend of whiskies from several cask types including sweet Pedro Ximenez, spicy virgin charred oak, and intense ex-bourbon casks, amongst others.
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.
Bottled non chill-filtered at 46.6% ABV.

Ardbeg An Oa is named after the Mull of Oa whose towering cliffs help to shelter the distillery from the worst of the incoming Atlantic weather conditions.

Tasting Notes

From Ardbeg:

Colour: Light Gold

Aroma: A burst of intense smoky fruit escapes into the atmosphere – peat infused with zesty lemon and lime, wrapped in waxy dark chocolate. Bold menthol and black pepper slice through the sweet smoke followed by tarry ropes and graphite. Savour the aroma of smoked fish and crispy bacon alongside green bell peppers, baked pineapple and pear juice.

Add water and an oceanic minerality brings a breath of cool, briny seaspray. Waxed lemon and lime follows with coal tar soap, beeswax and herby pine woodlands. Toasted vanilla and sizzling cinnamon simmer with warm hazelnut and almond toffee.

Taste: An explosion of crackling peat sets off millions of flavour explosions: peat effervesces with tangy lemon and lime juice, black pepper pops with sizzling cinnamon-spiced toffee. Then comes a wave of brine infused with smooth buttermilk, ripe bananas and currants. Smoke gradually wells up on the palate bringing a mouthful of warm creamy cappuccino and toasted marshmallows. As the taste lengthens and deepens, dry espresso, liquorice root and tarry smoke develop coating the palate with chewy peat oils.

Finish: The finish goes on and on. Long and smoky with tarry espresso, aniseed, toasted almonds and traces of soft barley and fresh pear.