Ardbeg An Oa

Guess I’m part of the cult now. This is my 5th ardbeg taste, my third full bottle. Oogy is probably still my favorite, and it’s hard to beat the classic 10 for its workmanlike performance. But there’s something interesting in the An Oa that intrigues me. There’s the signature smoke, this time from a fireplace that’s been dormant for a few days but doesn’t take much to stir up the ash and rekindle the scent of campfire. But what’s that in the background? A chocolate mint? Did someone throw one of those in the fire, so it melted into the wood and flavored the ash? Sure it’s a bit young, and thin. And the finish is brief if interesting. But I’d have another.