An Oa is named after the Mull of Oa in the south west of Islay, which offers the Kildaton coast (where Ardbeg distillery is situated) some protection from the worst the Atlantic has to offer! As such, Ardbeg An Oa is intended to show a more approachable side to Ardbeg single malt that's as rounded as the Oa peninsula, without losing the characteristic distillery style. Maturation took place in a combination of casks including Pedro Ximénez, charred virgin oak and ex-bourbon. N: Unexpectedly light and sweet. Fresh, herbal peat with a light aniseed touch. Light honey and malt are feathered by orange sprtiz and a leafy smoke in the distance. P: Sweet peat. This is light and walks a delicate balance of dryness and oiliness. Smoke builds through the profile with a little saltiness. An umami character not dissimilar from ham sits comfortably amongst tobacco and bitter marmalade. F: Medium. Dark chocolate, bonfire smoke, black tea, a little citrus. I had to pull up my notes on Ardbeg 10 from the open this is clearly cut from the same cloth. Theres a lot to enjoy here, particularly on the nose and finish. But, missing here is some oomph. The ten doesn’t muck about, it hits hard. this An oa is softer of character and somewhat reserved. I don’t know about the extra AUD$20 this costs over the 10 but it is an enjoyable and easy expression of Islay. Distiller whisky taste #226 [Pictured here with another wee beastie, this time a trilobite from the genus Paralejurus. This chunky boi is ~420-350 million years old from the ancient sea floor of what is modern day Morocco. These trilobites reached up to 9 cm in length and were excellent at enrolling themselves up into a defensive ball. The head slightly smaller than the tail allowing for a perfect enrolment; a well rounded beastie for a well rounded dram] Ardbeg running scores: Ardbeg 10: 4.25/5 Wee Beastie: 3/5 Corryvreckan: 4.5/5 An oa: 4/5