Ardbeg An Oa
Age: No Age Statement (NAS)
Abv: 46.6%

These notes are from a fresh open pour I did when picked up this bottle last year. I’ve learned that the term for that first time opening of a bottle is “neck pour”. For some reason, I don’t care for the term, so I think I’ll stick with “fresh open”. Without a doubt, I find there is a difference in experience between fresh open, 1/4 gone and under half left in the bottle. 1/4 gone seems to be the sweet spot for me, but I always enjoy these first fresh open experiences – like unwrapping a gift at Christmas!

The Ardbeg 10 is one of my favourite whiskies, so I am always interested and excited to pick up one of their other core expressions, to see how they are similar and how they are different. The An Oa (pronounced “Ann Oh”) was dwindling in availability last summer, so I grabbed one of them before they were gone. I haven’t seen them available here in NS since late last year.

On the initial nose – unmistakably Ardbeg.  Nice.  It becomes much gentler, very quickly though.  Some sweet notes start to poke through. Citrus.  Lemon.  Lemon pledge cleaner.  The smoke and peat are quite subdued now. Spice.  Turns to grassy.  Fresh grass.  Very earthy now – grass, dirt, but a real brightness or sweetness in there still. Wine perhaps – sherry.

On the initial palate – smoke, peat.  There is some bite to it!  Sweet, fruits.  Mm!  Burnin’ in ma belly! Are there dark fruits?  A definite toffee-like finish.  Slightly cigar-like now.  A touch oily, but not like the 10. It was strong.  Not the smooth roundness promised on the box!

Earthiness continues to dominate the nose.  Hints of peat, smoke is faint.  Briney, perhaps?  Spice is here now.  Black pepper, clove – yes.

Sweet, toffee on the taste.  More rounded now.  Less of that spirit punch.  Nose brings in hints of mint maybe?  Lemon mint.  Occasional wisp of the Ardbeg smoke.  Faintly meat-like.  Caramel, at the right distance.

I find I am really having to play around with the distance on nose to get different notes.  But it’s so lovely to be able to get those different notes. Like playing the slide of a trombone, experiencing the different dimensions and notes.

Overall an interesting dram.  It was not a flavour knockout for me, but interesting, subtle, changing.  Based on previous experiences, I expect it to soften and sweeten now that the bottle is open.  The Ardbeg signature/fingerprint is definitely there, and a joy to behold.  This is a great contrast to the dirtiness of Wee Beastie.  Far more subtle than the 10.  I like it well enough, but not a stand out for me yet.  I expect it to grow on me.