🥃 Whisky van Zuylen

Definitely more peat than smoke - reminds me on Iona which was almost peated only without smoke. Very convenient but not that special.

Quick hit review. Let's call it the 'Tiny Beastie', as this bottling became more or less obsolete with Ardbeg's release of Wee Beastie. Vegetal peat smoke, brine and vanilla characterize both nose and palate, the old theme of sweetness and peat that can't go wrong. Smoked bacon, orange zest and mild pepper fade in the medium finish. A simple and yet enjoyable dram, but if in doubt, I would always go for Wee Beastie. RATING: 3.5/5.0 stars ≙ 84 pts → ABOVE AVERAGE

As an addition to the core range thought, you can sort it well as a beginner Ardbeg.

not bad at all, but in no way to compare with the classic 10, or the Uig / Corry. it just seems to miss something, but i cannot put my finger on it. #950

I found this to be mediocre and not close to the main other 2. Nonetheless, not bad too, we have the core flavours of peat, salt, brine, pepper and ash

[October, 2017]  I call this the "little Kelpie".  Obviously, Kelpie was a test ballot on how a caucasian virgin oak Ardbeg is received by the Ardbeg community.  And as the reactions on the Kelpie were rather mixed they most probably adjusted the An Oa recipe to a more smoother and less woody (aggressive) dram by adding more standard bourbon casks and less virgin oak - what is fine. But why do they use virgin caucasian oak at all?  The reason is very simple:  Due to the long-lasting whisky boom there is a severe cask shortage at all Scottish distilleries (bourbon whisky did not grow as much as Scotch did) and even more severe at groups that do not own a bourbon distiillery in their portfolio (like LVHM).  Consequently, to mature the ever growing output scottish distilleries more and more have to use virgin oak casks too and therefore a lot of scotch whisky has become more wood-driven and bourbon-ish in their style (look at Laphroaig or Macallan, for example). Caucasian oak induces a different flavours profile into whisky than the traditional american or european oak.  It is significantly more herbal with eucalyptus and camphor notes (that I personally do not like as this reminds me of cough medicine).  In this respect it is a completely new style of whisky that you either like or not.  But to say it very clear:  Distilleries do this out of despair (as they are short of high quality casks) and not because they want to innovate...  But it is an innovation, nevertheless!  And we will see if this leads to some more interesting flavour profiles over time (once the maturation had a chance to really work over an appropriate period and not just for a few years as with the Kelpie or An Oa), especially when second and third fill caucasian casks are available. But to be honest:  This is a typical Ardbeg, for sure and it is better than other standard editions right now (good that they did the test ballot with the Kelpie).  But it is not great and rather average only (or judged by Ardbeg standards:  still below average)... PS:  I tried batch L67986 bottled 04/07/2017.

Fresh smoke, bacon cubes, but also a slight sweetness. Rather spicy in the mouth. Juniper berries, ashes, sauerkraut. Much more will not come then. Gorgeous nose. In the taste he then decreases.

The best part is the nose, the taste is confusion of abundance: PX, bourbon, new oak ... exaggerated.

Light golden colour. Oily whisky.

https://whiskylovingpianist.wordpress.com/2017/10/21/mnc-variety-night/ Made up from all-sorts of casks. N: Mainly vegetal custard creams and loads of stewed veg - cabbage, carrots, leeks, parsnips,.. - oh, and lemonade! T: Squidgy & foamy with vegetal peat and bin juice. F: Quickly fades before a final show of vegetal sweet ash. C: It’s pretty decent but nothing stella.Scores a B-

It's a bit the tamed version of the Ten, I did not notice so much of the sherry influence, but a good complement of the standard range, which I would pour in now and then, if I did not have hundreds of samples in front of me ;-)

Brackish Water The Ardbeg An Oa is the newest release in the core range of Ardbeg, launched in September 2017. It is named after the Mull of Oa, where you can find the American Monument (if you’ve been to Islay, you know what I mean, if not: Google is your friend). The difference with the classic Ten is significant and I do not just mean the lack of age. This one matured on a combination of 7 cask types, including virgin oak, PX sherry and 1st fill bourbon casks. Oh, the ABV is odd: 46.6%. I tried it for the first time in the Old Kiln Café at the Ardbeg distillery, but saw that no actual notes were made then. Time to rectify. The nose is surprisingly fresh and playful for an Ardbeg, with lots of vanilla and lime, ginger and cinnamon. Fanta Lemon with some mint, fresh seaweeds and some polished leather. Some smoked mussels and diesel oil. And smoke, obviously. I think it’s quite light (for an Ardbeg, mind you), but just fine all the same. The spices come first, on the palate (ginger, pepper, cardamom) – that must be the virgin oak. It is followed by black tea, sweet lemons and pink grapefruit with a hint of brown sugar. Peat, of course, but also lots of brackish water. In the finish – quite long – everything has to get out of the way for lemons and peppers. Spicier, but less round than the Ten, but still Ardbeg all the way. Probably young, but it doesn’t bother. Just under 60 EUR.

A fine addition to Ardbeg's core range, although the dryness and big spiciness on the palate might not be everybody's cup of tea.

A nice surprise. In contrast to other NAS bottlings, I actually have an idea why I would buy this one instead of the ten-year-old. It's less uncompromising, lighter, sweeter, and fruitier.

So I miss a little the difference points to the rest of the core range, a touch easier for new people probably. as the Corry, but eigtl., he is still gross ashes for absolute beginners.

Yeah fine Good young smoker, a little too dry for me.

Love the nose and thought it is a winner. Then the virgin oak and PX came through and make the dram quite unpleasant for my tongue which hits rock bottom in the finish. I still hope they'll add just a simple 8 or 10yo first fill bourbon cask strength to their core range in my lifetime.

Younger version of Uigedail: a bit less of peat, smoke and body. Very similar taste, just a junior version.

Blind Parallel tasting of sample # 1 and sample # 2 in comparison Nose: # 1 - spicy smoke, pepper and spice cloves in campfire smoke, some lemongrass and vanilla, an overwhelming lemon sweet sweetened by spicy oak notes and smoky aromas # 2 - grassy and maritime, both the sweetness and the acidity of lemon, a pinch of salt and aromatic smoke. In addition, menthol fresh from the alcohol and a hint of caramel and vanilla. Taste: # 1 - strong spicy onset with plenty of pepper and smoke, the alcohol is now more present than in the nose, to the back then sweeter flavors (caramel, Zironensorbet) paired with warm ash. This ash note combined with some salt water and the now slightly drier sweetness accompanies you through the medium-long finish. # 2 - smoother and smoother with a hint of aromatic smoke and vanilla pudding with a splash of lemon juice, the finish being longer than # 1 adds a peppery oak and a good dose of wood with the warm smoke and maritime touch now add malty sweetness. Great taste - that's how an Islay Malt must taste. I liked the # 1 in the nose a little better with the flavor of the # 2 convince more with its power and fullness in the finish. The # 1 does have a bunch of flavors but they are not so interwoven and there was a lack of depth / substance. # 2 looks more mature and deeper, but also a bit simpler in the fullness of the aromas. But sometimes that's exactly what makes a good Islay smoker. Both are still quite young and without the smoke bonus would probably be a simple highlander for the Blend industry. Therefore, the 80+ pts are already a very good rating. Blind I give the # 1 good 80 pts and the # 2 gets 84 pts. Both are good and fun but I would prefer # 2 when buying bottles. Resolution (even sealed in the envelope - so just travel ^^) # 1 = Ardbeg An Oa 46.6% # 2 = Ardbeg Ten (the current Warehouse Edition) 46% Ah interesting comparison - the An Oa is definitely delicious and better than the counterparts of Laphroaig (Select) and Talisker (Skye) but also a bit more expensive than this one. Yes, it's different than the TEN (looks more like a mix of Corry and Ugi diluted down to TEN level) but as long as there are the three classics I would not see any reason to buy this whisky. But whoever bought it certainly did not do anything wrong. He is delicious. I have not had the TEN in the glass for a long time and so with a little bit of distance, you realize once again what a great drop that is and is rightly considered a classic!

COLOR: Gold (without dye) - a really good standard bottling - Significantly less smoke than the TEN - no classic typical Ardbeg smoke aromas - I don't think it comes close to the TEN - but definitely recommendable

entry standard. In my view, well below the ten. It's not bad, but you don't necessarily have to have it either.

Nose: loads of fresh lemon, lemon peel, lemon drop sweets (Napoleon lemon balls), lemon curd, bitter oranges and lime which actually overpower the smoke and peatiness at first glance. Also there's some pencil shavings and a touch of milk chocolate. Taste: quite similar to the nose but a little less profound, clear citrus with again the lemon curd and sweets, spicy peatiness and the fresh wood notes. The finish is of medium length with smoked wood and has a honied lemony sweet/sour feel to it. Less smokey and peaty than expected on beforehand, but I really like the fresh lemony feel of this dram. I might even prefer this over the 10 year old. Edit: as the bottle level drops, the citrus notes shift more and more to the background. The ashy notes in the finish get more pronounced. It turns out to be a bit of a one trick pony, which does not improve with time. I'm dropping the score, still a decent enough dram though.

Well! Once again a lot of hype about nothing special. :-(

By no means young and wild, as I had expected from this no-age statement. The average age of the barrels could even be more than ten years, there is already a lot of round and mature ones. Not quite as fruity as the Uigeadail (and not nearly as full-bodied), but from Ardbeg's standard range it is probably the most recommended for beginners. For the full review go here: https://halbendrinks.de/2022/09/18/evolution-of-ardbeg/

Personally, he seems to me too trivial, even if he has been well touched.

The nose offers an interesting mix between the vanilla influence of bourbon and a very maritime and thick peat. On one side the algae, the tide, the sea spray, ash, tar, on the other a nice sweetness, icing sugar. But little by little the peat rises, deeper, crushes the vanilla, imposes itself. After a while it's just her. In the mouth, it is initially sweet, oily, then the alcohol is felt, and the peat. It's a little young, but not too much, caramelized, honeyed, vanilla, syrupy. Finally the finish is typically Ardbeg, very vegetal, the peat rises, with damp wood. It's not worth the Ten but it's not bad at all. In short, it's a success, a softer version of the Ardbeg profile. Perhaps reserved for fans of the distillery, although you may find it more accessible. Don't hesitate to get it. https://ilikesky2020.blogspot.com/2020/06/ardbeg-oa.html

The An Oa works rather fresh, maybe a tad too much. What I mean by this is that it has the good old lemon-style distillate, yet it is masked with a lot of fresh wood. On the palate, it's very rounded, maybe a tad too engineered. Still, I won't call this bad, as it is not unpleasant. It's just too engineered so it doesn't have one unique selling point. It could appeal to the masses though.

What I liked most was the taste - bright, balanced, quite rich and deep. The texture is not oily, the stems do not separate. The color is deep, golden. 21 22 21 21

I very much welcome the idea of expanding the Ardbeg standard range. For Ardbeg newbies, this is a nice addition to the 10 year old.

Color: harvest gold. Nose: Round and tenderly smoky (smoked apple tree wood) with creamy toffee, anise, treacle and dates. A headstrong note of juicy fruits like peach and banana. With a splash of water, the classic Ardbeg fragrance comes to the fore - lime, pine resin, fennel, saddle soap and tar. A light waxy aroma, reminiscent of the scent of candle wax, and hints of smoked herbs. Palate: A creamy-delicate texture releases a syrupy sweetness and aromas of milk chocolate, molasses toffee, anise, orange and smoked tea leaves in the mouth. Mild and sweet spices (nutmeg and cinnamon), cigar smoke and the very unusual taste of grilled artichokes. Long and sweet with floral notes, aromas of mint toffee and subtle malty / biscuit notes. Appearance: Persistent, seductive, delicate yet intense with hints of anise, hickory (wood) and a subtle smoke. (Houseofsinglemalts.ch)

He has a tough time between the 3 established ones, TEN, Uigeadail and Corryvreckan. Seems a bit out of place and at least can't convince me.

Tasted at Whiskyexperience World of Drinks (simultanious with the Ten (which I prefer). Somewhat unbalanced dram, PX and Virgin oak are fighting.... a bit too sweet at times, and less peaty then older Ardbegs. Marketing dram.....

S 6.5 An American oak led Ardbeg that's focusing on the sweet and vanilla side of things. Complex enough but lacking the power, feels like a thin layer of everything. Wee Beastie seems to be more balanced with a boost in Sherry influence

I like the very old Ardbegs and this one, in contrast, has developed in a very different direction. But he is good! A really fresh Ardbeg, with which one certainly wins new fans who do not like the smoke so much in the foreground. A class whisky!

Successful. 79 points.

Perhaps because of its low alcohol content, compared to other Arbele wines, it's one of those wines that you can drink without feeling guilty while still experiencing the Arbele characteristics. I wouldn't buy a whole bottle, but I'd order it at a bar or buy a sharing bottle.

A beautiful nose that promises a lot, in the mouth he can not keep it. A strong bitterness that displaces everything else besides the smoke gives the whisky a one-dimensionality and pulls it down. No, you do not need that. Other distilleries can do that much better. See Kilchoman Sanaig.

Not bad, not bad at all. Much better - but probably a bit higher priced - than the 'Select' or 'Small Batch' releases of other renowned Islay distilleries.

If everyone is buying Ardbeg and no one is questioning, why just not put average young stuff on the market with some marketing stunt and a name?

Good, but doubtful I will actually keep it permanently in the cabinet. I think like many before me, I picked up this bottle hoping this bottle was something that it is not; a cheaper version of the big bold flavors of Ardbeg Uigeadail— or, that at least maybe it lived in the same neighborhood as Uigeadail.

Milder on the nose, taste-wise pretty good.

Nice Ardbeg, but certainly no improvement over the Ten, Corryvreckan or Uigeadail for me.

The An Oa is really successful. The alcohol is very well integrated, it is powerful and expressive. Distillation character and barrel are well interwoven. The only criticism is perhaps the departure. If he was a little longer, that would be nice. But with this whisky again becomes clear which possibilities Ardbeg has and how one uses the existing potential to set the Brennereicharakter again and again in scene - 11.11.2017

peat, smoke, some hints of bacon, some salt, some seabreeze. all there. but I do miss the citrus a little bit, the sweetness is not impressive. which made me realise the complexity is not impressive either. I do like it, nice drinkable Ardbeg but I would still prefer the TEN for the same price or even cheaper ... (WSZ17)

21/21/20/21

Awkward product positioning, I don’t know what it means

I´m not a friend of these young peaters. it´s well made, rather straight but lacks complexity. sorry folks at ardbeg, not my cup of tea and your tenner is better at a lower price. 84/100

Nose: more herbal, none of the citrus notes in the 10. Palate: thin, herbal, some sweetness, but not really satisfying. Finish: dry finish, a little bitter. Uninspiring. Summary: didn’t take many notes on this one, Because it didn’t really deserve it. This is apparently Brendan McCarron’s personal project to create another (different) core Ardbeg. In short I would simply say it’s a weaker Uigeadail. 82/100

Batch L67986 Tasted it once on it's own and four days later next to the Uigeadail (L12332) and Corryvreckan (L68298). Both An Oa and Uigeadail score the same for me, but they are quite different. The Corryvreckan being the more "distinguished" one for me. The An Oa has a medium peaty on the nose, and the peat is very much present on the taste. The Uigeadail being more sweet. Overall the An Oa is fresher than the Uigeadail, bit more towards the Corryvreckan for me. And, just like the Uigeadail, the An Oa gets a bit more spicy with water. I find it a good addition to the core range.

Nose is dry with peat, honey, lime, and brine. Palate is sweet upon delivery, with honey, spice, brine, ash, and smoke. Finish is long, dry, spicy and sweet.

Maltstock 2017 Ardbeg, yes but I expected a lot more from this version. It's more like an underated version of a 10 year old. If I had to choose between the An Oa or a regular 10, well you do the math.

Very nice for the price. Even if the set interior design leaves something to be desired ...

Not as sweet as the Ten, not as much tar and barbecue as the Uigeadail got, not as much sugar cane and cigar smoke like the Corryvreckan. Therefor you got some fruits, menthol and a nice texture on the palate. Nice addition to the core range, although I would prefer the others. This one is to much in the let-me-start-and-Ardbeg-adventure direction. If you never had an Ardbeg go for it. Nothing wrong here. Just to weak for Ardbegians.Concerning price/performance ratio: 8/10

A well-done Ardbeg, which joins nicely in the range. Pretty harmonious and balanced (almost mainstream). He reminds me with the sweetness a little on the Blasda.

Strong sherry nuance with a waxy feel. There is quite a bit of spice and the smoky flavor is also strong, reminiscent of Ardbeg's typical peat.

Yeah, I like that.

Meh, just unnecessary for most discerning maltsters who love to buy the "untouchable trio" of TEN, Oogi, and Corry. To their only credit they did not dare to bottle it below 46% abv. The An Oa is of course still competently put together but the weakest of the bunch (regarding the 5 more as an oddition than a serious addition here). For me it's roughly in the same quality range as the recent special releases, but this says more about the latter than the An Oa... ;-)

Tasted on 12/12/2019

Colour: light gold. Nose: peated smoke, creosote, light fruits rottenness, vanilla, sweet fruits, salt, spices, grass and white plums. Mouth: peated smoke, creosote, dust, fruits, salt, vanilla and oak. Finish: long and peaty with creosote, salt, vanilla notes. Ardbeg An Oa isn’t a peated monster, it’s a good balanced, smooth and easy drinkable whisky. I think, it would be good to start acquaintance with Ardbeg for beginners.

Pleasant Islay malt with unusually soft features for me;

(Tasted semi-blind; I knew it was Ardbeg, not which one) NOSE: Sweet bonfire ashes. Initially it smells like a relativelely dry, not so coastal peat, which has had a healthy dose of sherry maturation. Gradually a maritime influence comes along, with iodine, tar, old tarry boat ropes, some herbal greens, winter green, and that sweet oily smell which you get from combining Islay peated spirit with sherry casks. Quite rich and lovely but not terribly complex. With time becomes more and more green and herbal. (88-89p). TASTE: The arrival is rather fruity and slightly sweet. On the mid palate there are greengages, green bananas and green herbs, with eucaluptys and mint and also some bitter green herbs as well as some bitter wood tannins. (86p). EXIT: Sweet, slightly oily bonfire ashes. Mild black pepper. Green herbs. Quite nice. (86p). OVERALL: A very green and herbal, but a bit unbalanced. A not so very ardbeggy Ardbeg. Lovely nose, though. TOTAL SCORE 87 (86) points.

I agree with Drk Neknul's comments, which I think are very accurate. This is a lighter "Ardbeg Variation" compared to the other bottlings of the Core Range, but has its raison d'être because it is a well-balanced malt that recognizes the Ardbeg DNA. The TEN is and remains the classic and first choice in the standard bottlings, but therefore the An Oa may still be "good". ;)

an infusion of peat, fat and oily, which is quite nice in its heaviness.. but there’s too much youth and wood on the palate. and the sweetness seems juxtaposed, rather than integrated with the other sensations. much dryness in the finish

For me a bit too metallic for the price range and too much cold ashtray. I prefer the warmer campfire smoke that you usually find at Caol Ila. But of course that's a matter of taste. Overall a solid Islay malt.

I Do not know what i thought the first time i tried this, i really Do not like the aftertaste. What a pity because the nose Was actually quite fine :(

SID #603 Aquavitae 15.10.2017 => 84/100

The smoke is ardbegian, the palate is sweet and nicely balanced, the strength is perfect, it doesn't feel immature at all...gives NAS whiskies a reason for existing..!

Not the punchiest of Ardbegs out there, sweet character dominates . On the nose fruity peaches, apricots and peaches. On taste, smoky, sweet barley sugars, meaty bbq, barley sugar and caramalised apples . An easy sipping fruity sweet peated Ardbeg.

Conclusion and pictures on: https://tomtrinkt.de

average

Sweet and smoky, but goes very well together. Surprised me positively. A good introduction to the world of Islay whiskys

beautiful typical Ardbeg, nevertheless individual and more pleasing than other Ardbegs

Pulled out a sample I'd kept from the bottle. I only bought one bottle. Yes, memory serves. This was a very weak Ardbeg Day offering. Not sure what the distillery was thinking. I was a big fan of Scorch this year, although it doesn't hold a candle to Alligator (yes, I still have a few samples left of that). Then again, I've not tasted the Committee offering of Scorch. I'm not a fan of the switch from cask strength day offerings to committees. Yet another marketing choice made by corporate accountants in Paris and not on Islay (zut alors!). Nose: Saccharine, sharp mold note, burlap, artificial caramel, Pine Sol, menthol cigarette breath (which reminds me of an old girlfriend who ended up cheating on me). Mouth: some Ardbeg peat that doesn't taste up to the usual standards (not made in-house), swamp water, chickweed petals, cigar ash, stale pumpernickel bread, saccharine, lemon grist, Irish tea. Finish: weak yet medium in length (dialed down but hanging on for dear life) with a bit of peat and that unfortunate saccharine note. This offering reminds me of a teamful of Scots who were forced to work with one arm tied behind their backs. "Salut au globalisme!"

* * * *

Sweet peach and citrus with a tarry smokiness.

Whisky aged in three different types of barrels: - after Pedro Ximenez responsible for sweetness; - Virgin oak, strongly fired barrels of fresh oak that provide spices; - bourbon, which is a classic Ardbega whisky finish.

Sweet and salty I’m not one for my medicine tasting like iodine, I’m with Mary Poppins on this one, that spoonful of sugar is a godsend to helping it slip down, as with medicine, so to with whisky. There’s something intrinsically correct about Islay (and other smoky) whisky when it shares a bed with something sugary and sweet. The happy bedfellows of salty/brine and sugar just work - caramel is improved with salt, salted, buttered popcorn is Improved vastly with a tiny dusting of sugar, sweet liquorice is an infinitely better nibble with some salt in the recipe. It’s just how things should be. Even something as basic as a chocolate cookie needs that pinch of salt in the recipe. So, An Oa. You sweet little thing, off we go...In the glass it’s got that sweet and salt thing going on from the get go. In equal measure it’s peat, salt, bourbon and sherry and the more you smell, the more of them you get. This is one of those noses you just want to keep heaving in. One moment it’s cool and costal and peaty, the next the PX seems more apparent and more defined, then another snort and you uncover wood and bourbon notes. There’s some sort of mustard thing and ginger happening and white pepper too. The sweetness never escapes its savoury, coastal character and the peat which underpins the lot is just the wall it all hangs on. Lovely stuff. Does it taste any good? Typical Ardbeg, consistency is just one of the things they do so well, delicate salty coastal peat, warm bourbon and PX casks arrive, a little ginger and pepper. It’s very nice, maybe there’s an argument that it’s a bit thin on the palate, the 46.5%abv feels slightly underwhelming? back on the nose after a few sips and there’s more rockpools, seaweed and crushed shells. Further sips and the initial sweetness is more muted and the unmissable Ardbegness is more defined. For the money it’s a hard act to fault. It’s sings, it dances and it goes down a treat.

The aroma, which is not typical for Ardbeg, contains dark chocolate, lemon zest and tobacco. The taste is slightly peaty with hints of dried bananas and spices. The finish is medium, peppery-chocolate, aniseed. Quite an unexpected profile, which you cannot blindly give to Ardbeg, mineral-chocolate, slightly fruity, not bad. RATING: 85pts - | 83 - 86 (B) → Good | - Not a “must”, but a nice-to-have.

Again proof that the bottlings of the standard series do not have to shy away from comparison with the Committee special editions. On the contrary! The An Oa is a classic Ardbeg with a fresh fruity touch. Its flavors are not particularly complex, but the sweet and fruity flavors go very well with its smoky, spicy basic style.

The only thing that doesn't fit here is the price. 10 euros down and it's good. Just under 50 euros is definitely too much, in Longrow/Talisker 10/Laphroaig Quarter Cask territory, it can't shine there. 85/100

I really like his taste very good, for me he is now one of the top PLVs and I will be allowed to move in a vial. nice drink great nose and the Ardbeg smoke good thing.

Not a bad one, but is it worth paying more than the classic 10? I don't think so.

New charred oak, ex bourbon and px sherry casks it is well balanced, but it feels a bit young on the tongue

An easy sipping Ardbeg...quite okay

ok the price at least is better than the kelpie but the liquid is still not up there for me with the other Ardbegs i've tried/had... again not bad, but not excellent either.

It is an Ardbeg, for sure, but I find it less characteristic than all the others that I’ve tasted so far. When I drink an Ardbeg, I want a “real” Ardbeg that brings me immediatly right to the sea just near a brazier… Here, I’m less traveling than with a Corryvreckan that I prefer, for sure. Not bad, far from it (and it’s still a good whisky for that price – 45€), but a little too “light” for my taste. http://www.justanotherdram.com/en/tasting-notes/ardbeg-an-oa.html

An easy access, crowd pleasing Ardbeg with plenty of dry peat smoke but also a nice sweetness and balance from the casks. Not as obscured as some of the earlier releases. A nice contribution to the core range.

Maritime on the nose, earthy-smoky and fruity-sweet with smoked ham, grass, seaweed, spray and gooseberries. After standing for a while, the sweet aromas emerge more strongly and are supported by vanilla. Smoky and ashy in the mouth and extremely sweet and for 46% unexpectedly mild. A bit more spicy in the finish, but mostly on the light side with a touch of acidity. The smoke lingers relatively long, the oak tends to stay in the background. Length: 7/10 Nice, aromatic Ardbeg. A great whisky in itself, but I would only buy it to complete the Ardbeg collection and prefer its brothers to drink. Grade: 2+

Matured in charred virgin oak, PX ex-sherry and first fill ex-bourbon casks. Married in French oak gathering vat. Non-chill filtered. Not coloured. Thick slow primary legs. Mid-size very slow secondary legs. Droplets. PX ex-sherry casks mask the smoke partially, contributing to the body and the richness. Water tames down the smoke farther. Cask driven expression.

Imho a tamer version of the 10, a concession to the masses. Not bad, but clearly lacking the Ardbeg Umph.

Freshly squeezed lemons, subdued and clean smoke, freshly cut birch trees, lots of charcoal and ashes. Not too complex. On the palate the virgin oak is talking loud. I think they used heavily charred new oak and added only small amounts of px- and bourboncasks. Sharpness, green notes, ginger, bonfiresmoke, a feeling like sucking on charcoal. A hint of px-sweetness. And then its gone. Not too sure about this one. I dont think it adds something worthwhile to the core-range. It has a strange and "doctored" virgin oak taste that is not quite to my liking. Not as extreme as in the Kelpie, but it is there. I find it also to be fairly one-dimensional. Is it drinkable? Yes. Will I buy another bottle? Problaby not.

A bit of a young spirit, a bit sweet A bit simple? Easy drinking, but somewhat of a mushy comfort rather than a delicate one. I feel like a young spirit Not the feeling you'd expect from Ardbeg

A worthwhile addition to the Ardbeg core range, and—something that's not always the case with Ardbeg—at a very reasonable price. It's perfect for a casual sip. It can be kept on the shelf at the bar—you can finish it—and you can buy it again without hesitation.

The An Oa is an interesting malt that manages to combine the usually very dominant Ardbeg smoke with fruity and sweet aromas. That is why it already appears very balanced on the nose and remains so until the end. There, in addition to the smoke and sweetness, slightly bitter notes of the oak are very harmoniously integrated into the overall impression. https://www.aboutwhisky.de/tastingnotes/ardbeg-an-oa/

A comparative tasting with Ardbeg Ten demonstrated that this whisky seemed more interesting to me, brighter in aroma than the latter, but unexpectedly more prickly in taste. So, for myself I prefer the classics. But first things first. Color: noticeably darker than ten. This is where aging in PX barrels and new charred barrels took its toll. The color can be described as light light golden. Body: dense, oily, and we didn’t expect anything else from Ardbeg. Nose: Distinctly smoky and sweet. The familiar tones of dry branches, fire, peat, cigarette ash, Vishnevsky ointment, iodine, rubber, tarpaulin boots, and scorched pork are here well balanced with the aromas of burnt caramel, fudge or toffee, cherry, milk chocolate, raisins, cinnamon, hazelnuts and pies with forest berries. Also lingering aromas of wax, anise, chalk (limestone), lemon peel, and ground black pepper. Well, the sour “bready” malt motifs indicate the relative youth of the spirits. Taste: slightly salty at the beginning (sea salt, iodine), then briefly turns into a creamy-nutty sweetness (toffee, milk chocolate, hazelnuts), which then abruptly gives way to a long bitter peppery wave with motifs of tea leaves, cigar tobacco, burning, nutmeg , ginger and citrus zest. Finish: long, warming, anise, spices.

04/10/2022 87.5 / 100 Color: Medium dark amber, natural. AROMA - 21.5 / 25 We immediately detect the sherry casks and a tannic, woody character supported by notes of smoked fruit. We have a forest and an old cellar, plum jam, and unusual herbal accents of dill and thyme. A pleasant whisky with nicely hidden alcohol. TASTE - 21 / 25 Sweet, delicately woody, slightly earthy, and quite smoky. Immediately, we detect pleasant notes of the plum wood fire. Honey, delicate salty caramel, and a touch of candied fruit. FINISH - 23 / 25 Dry but with a sweet note of smoked dried fruit. Pleasant and balanced. BALANCE - 22 / 25 First I bought a sample from Mariusz Cybula, and then more than one full bottle. In my case, its reception improved over time, so it probably depends "on the day". It is of similar quality to Ardbeg TEN, but with a different emphasis. It's worth having in stock and makes a good entry level Daily Dram.

Bottled 22.01.2022 Overall, I found it quite good and enjoyable. However, I can't say I'm overly excited; the nose is very appealing, offering complex and varied aromas that are satisfying. The palate is quite good, but not as complex as the nose. I might buy it again and again, and I'm open to buying it once more, but Ardbeg 10 seems more preferable at almost the same price, if I were to compare them. I'm very happy to have tried this; it's not a whisky that will disappoint those who like smoky and island-flavored whisky, on the contrary, it will please them. A beautiful Ardbeg classic.

Not too complex, yet pleasant Ardbeg.

Reading around, it looks like this one is quite neglected among the Ardbeg core range. It can be understandable, given a less clear profile than other expressions and a somehow weaker temper. Despite this, it’s not bad at all! The sherry casks influence smoothens the medicinal dry smokiness, resulting in something quite balanced, ranging from licorice to dried fruits and a touch of vanilla, yet not sweet at all. Probably just lacking a bit of distinctive character, compared to the generally bolder Ardbeg expressions, but in general it’s a pleasantly smoky and very enjoyable dram.

an oa is so average I would buy it for 10 years to sip

With this whisky, Ardbeg has found a very round and balanced way to refine your spirits.

A solid Ardbeg if you can get it cheap. However, if the price is the same as the 10 year old, I would always go for the 10 year old.

Tasted blind in 12/2022 as a part of advent calendar. Nose: Peat, salt, minerals Taste: Bourbon, peat, smoked meat, pepper, wood bitterness, citruses, medium length aftertaste

Despite me being a sherry fan, this an oa feels like real entry-level. It is way weaker than ardbeg 10, somekind sweeter. But why would you aim for sweet when you go for peat ? Of course, there are successful peat+sherry combos, like lagavulin distillers edition (2021 especially), however an oa seems like a no, being weakest among the four.

An entry-level Ardbeg. More similar to TEN than Wee Beastie, although it remains smoother, sweeter, fruitier, and somehow lighter. It is less-prominent, but still has an Ardbeg's DNA. On the nose lemons, peaches, apricots, sweet peat, vanilla and melted butter. On the palate peat, light, sweet barley sugars, sweet bacon BBQ, caramelized apples. An easy-sippng dram, not sure why should I pick a bottle though, having TEN or Wee Bestie available... AND cheaper...

I like ugi/10-year-old more

Nose: Lemon peel, damp cellar, damp cloth, coniferous forest, plum jam, fruit bubble gum, forest fruits, delicate oak Palate: Ash, bitter orange, strong coffee, delicate hospital notes, honey, dates, delicate sweetness, milk chocolate, heavily smoked meats, delicate raisins and smoked cigar, salt and oak at the very end More delicate than other Ardbegs, I was skeptical but I quickly got into it and I can say that it is a really decent Ardbeg

I am an Ardbeg fan but most of the recent releases seem to be rather a joke. The Perpetuum was ridiculous as a 200 year anniversary release, the kelpie is well overpriced and this one... Well what is it even supposed to be? The basic character is definitely there but it is one dimenional and quite boring dram... I cannot really recommend this one

N: typical smoke with additional sweet dark fruit notes T: peat, cigar smoke, salt, berry fruits with long warm spicy, smokey, oily finish

Smoke, campfire, dried fruit, pepperiness, dark chocolate, spices, sweet and spicy at the same time. Young age comes out a bit.

Very good flavour and nice balance between smokeness and sweteness. One of the finest Ardbeg expressions for me.

It is much more finesse than the 10, it is a very balanced product that I appreciated. I recommend it for its overall quality.

Nice whisky, more fruity than the Ten and also smokier in the taste. Slight bitterness. But I miss the typical creamy Ardbeg sweet something.

The smell of this wine is slightly muddy, but Abbe’s personality is very good, the taste level is relatively clear, but the flavor expression is relatively simple, no matter how much flavor barrels participate, it is difficult to make up for the congenital deficiency of too short aging.