Ardbeg An Oa

Excited to try this dram. Nose- of course the classic smoke, beef jerky, not as strong as laphroiag, no hint of alcohol burn. I have to get in close to really pull the nose. Rubbery nitrile. Taste- interestingly enough I get wood notes before I get the smoke flavor, coffee grounds, oak, walnut. Lots of dark and heavy flavors here. I can definitely taste the mint chocolate finish. Update: 03/18- I taste nothing but peanut buttery finish. Was surprised by this. Yummy taste. Mouthfeel- medium and waxy, leaves a short burn in the throat. Verdict, I prefer Laphroaig and lagavulin over this. Both give me a end of night dessert feel, this feels a little unfinished. Something I’d drink if I just wanted to drink, but not necessarily sit and give much thought to.

Pour 1 drammers. Keeps matching my flavor profile time after time with notes of Smoke, Iodine, Chocolate, Pepper, Raisins, Berries, Toffee, Treacle, Salt, Seaspray, Citrus, Mango, Peach, Cherry, Vanilla, Coconut, Caramel, Almond, Hazlenut, and Pineapple

More pepper after it sits a while!

When first poured, peat dominates — trademark Ardbeg peat, earthy, medicinal, herbaceous, full, with notes like struck match and cigar ash — but give it a little time in the glass and the unmistakable whiff of sherry emerges as peaty smokiness is dialed down. In the palate it opens up with a dab of sherried sweetness, followed by strong smoky peat as described above, and then by a little more sweetness and a finish rich in black pepper. Good whisky but a bit jarring in the sense that the sherry and peat influences seem to clash at times, rather than evolve into the harmony you see in Laphroaig Lore or Edradour Ballechin. I can’t quite put my finger on it but there you go.