🥃 Ardbeg An Oa
Ardbeg line with no age statement: peaty whisky from Islay, 46.6% ABV, from pedro ximenez, new oak and bourbon casks.
Ardbeg An Oa is an Ardbeg expression with no age statement on the label, bottled at 46.6% ABV, not chill-filtered. Whisky Advocate calls it the more approachable Ardbeg: hot peat, black tea and clove, but less oily than the others. The name is linked to the Mull of Oa cape on Islay, and The Whisky Shop describes the taste as creamy, with orange chocolate and treacle.
The whisky is assembled from three cask types: new charred oak, pedro ximenez sherry casks and bourbon casks, the last of which are the most numerous according to The Whisky Shop. Whisky Advocate adds that the blend is then married in a French oak vat. Like any Scotch, it matures for at least three years.
Why this matters to you. An Oa is softer than Uigeadail and Corryvreckan but stronger than Ten, which makes it a handy point of comparison for the style of the range. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Islay) |
|---|---|
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | barley malt, peated |
| Cask type | new charred oak, pedro ximenez, bourbon; French oak vat for the blend |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years by law; no age stated on the label |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 46.6% ABV, not chill-filtered |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Ardbeg An Oa → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Pedro Ximénez Sherry, 🐝 French oak, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Ardbeg, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Islay whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Ardbeg Corryvreckan, 🥃 Ardbeg Ten, 🥃 Ardbeg Uigeadail, 🥃 Ardbeg Wee Beastie, 🥃 Ardbeg Corryvreckan, 🥃 Ardbeg Ten, 🥃 Ardbeg Uigeadail, 🥃 Ardbeg Wee Beastie, 🥃 Peated whisky
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that An Oa is not peated?
No. It is peated; Whisky Advocate only calls it more approachable and less oily than other Ardbegs.
Which casks are used for An Oa?
New charred oak, pedro ximenez and bourbon casks; the blend is married in a French oak vat.
What is the strength of An Oa?
46.6% ABV, not chill-filtered.
What to read next
- 🥃 Ardbeg Uigeadail — Ardbeg line with no age statement: peaty whisky from Islay, 54.2% ABV, with sherry-cask character, not chill-filtered.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Peated whisky — Whisky with a smoky aroma from malt dried over a peat fire; it is a style, not a separate legal category.
Similar
🥃 Ardbeg Wee Beastie · 🥃 Ardbeg Corryvreckan · 🥃 Ardbeg Ten · 🥃 Ardbeg Uigeadail · 🥃 Laphroaig Lore · 🥃 Kilchoman Machir Bay
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- The Whisky Shop: Ardbeg An Oa (46.6 %; no age statement; Pedro Ximenez, virgin charred oak and ex-bourbon casks; named after the Mull of Oa; not chill-filtered)
- Whisky Advocate: Ardbeg An Oa (46.6 %; virgin oak, Pedro Ximenez sherry and bourbon barrels married in a French oak gathering vat; more approachable Ardbeg)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: Scotch Whisky and Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)