ARDBEG ‘AN OA’ – THE NEWEST ADDITION TO THE CORE RANGE IN A DECADE 

At the heart of Ardbeg’s Distillery, in its intriguing new Gathering Room*, a smoky, sweet and rounded single malt is taking shape. Ardbeg An Oa (pronounced “an oh”) is inspired by the most untamed part of The Ultimate Islay Malt’s remote Scottish island home. Released in September 2017, it will be the first new permanent expression to emerge from Ardbeg for almost ten years.

Like the complex whisky which shares its name, Islay’s Mull of Oa is noticeably rounded.  At the Island’s southernmost point, the headland’s towering cliffs stand defiantly against the raging Atlantic storms, providing welcome shelter for Islay’s south coast, to which the Ardbeg Distillery has clung for more than 200 years.  Ardbeg An Oa pays homage to its untamed provenance, with contrasts of powerful intensity and sweet silkiness that celebrate the spot where storm meets calm.

Inside Ardbeg Distillery’s new and bespoke Gathering Room lies the vast Gathering Vat – specially created from French oak to bring Ardbeg An Oa into being. The different layers of whisky slowly mellow together within; the richness of spirit matured in Pedro Ximénes casks, the spice of whisky aged in virgin oak, and all the hallmark intensity of Ardbeg matured in ex-bourbon barrels. Culminating in an untamed single malt far more complex and rounded than the sum of its parts.

Ardbeg’s Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks, Dr Bill Lumsden, said: “There is a wonderfully Ardbeggian magic to The Gathering Room, where the parcels married together in this whisky merge over time, to reach new levels of complexity.  Ardbeg An Oa’s rounded and subtly smoky aromas reflect all the contrasts of the Mull of Oa, with notes of creamy toffee, aniseed, dates and hints of peach and banana.  The whisky’s smooth, creamy texture leads to a huge syrupy sweetness on the palate, as milk chocolate, orange and smoky tea leaves mingle with sweet spices, cigar smoke and – unusually – grilled artichokes, before a lingering, seductive and smoky finish.  It is years since the world’s smokiest, peatiest Islay malt added to its core range.  We hope smoky malt whisky fans everywhere will be drawn to Ardbeg An Oa.”

Ardbeg An Oa is non-chill filtered and bottled at ABV 46.6%. Priced at RRP £49.00, it will be available in specialist retailers from September 2017.

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NOTES:

TASTING NOTES

Colour: Harvest gold

Aroma: Rounded and subtly smoky (applewood smoked), with creamy toffee, aniseed, treacle and dates.  A curious suggestion of juicy fruits, such as peach and banana.  With a drop of water, come reminders of Ardbeg’s classic fragrance – lime, pine resin, fennel, saddle soap and tar.  A gentle waxiness, like fragrant candle wax, and hints of smoked herbs.

Taste: A smooth, creamy texture leads into a huge syrupy sweetness, flavours of milk chocolate, treacle toffee, aniseed, orange and smoky tea leaves.  Gentle, sweet spices (nutmeg and cinnamon), some cigar smoke, and a very unusual flavour of grilled artichokes.  Long and sweet, with floral overtones, mint toffee and some gentle malty/biscuity notes.

Finish: Lingering, seductive, gentle yet intense, with flavours of aniseed, hickory and distant subtle smoke. 

Ardbeg:

Ardbeg prides itself on being The Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky.  Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by connoisseurs around the world as the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts.  Despite its smokiness, Ardbeg is renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as ‘the peaty paradox’.  During the 1980s and 1990s, Ardbeg suffered from an uncertain future and it was not until the brand was purchased by The Glenmorangie Company in 1997 that the Distillery was saved from extinction.  Since then, the Distillery has risen like a phoenix and today Ardbeg is well established as a niche, cult malt, with a passionate following.

*The Gathering Room:

The Gathering Room, created from a former grain store at Ardbeg, has been custom designed to hold Ardbeg’s Gathering Vat.  Crafted from French oak, the vast Gathering Vat allows the different cask types used to create Ardbeg An Oa to marry.  With the magic of time, their flavours are rounded into a whisky which reaches new heights of complexity.  The rounding that takes place in The Gathering Room has its origins in centuries-old whisky practices, whereby distillers would sometimes combine different casks in one vat, with intriguing results.

The Mull of Oa:

The Mull of Oa is Islay’s most untamed spot.  Situated at the end of the Oa peninsula, its dramatic cliffs form the most southerly point of Islay.  On one side, this rounded headland – 202m at its height – bears the brunt of storms that rage in from the Atlantic.  On the other, it provides shelter from the wild weather to the southern coast of Islay, including Ardbeg Cove, where the Ardbeg Distillery is nestled.  These contrasts – and the Mull’s rounded shape – are reflected in the power and silky sweetness of Ardbeg An Oa.

Ardbeg Committee:

The legacy of the whisky was safeguarded in 2000 by the formation of the Ardbeg Committee.  The Committee is made up of thousands of Ardbeg followers worldwide who are keen to ensure that “the doors of Ardbeg never close again”.  Today there are more than 100,000 members of the Ardbeg Committee in over 130 countries.  Committee members are regularly consulted on new bottlings and expressions and are offered exclusive Committee bottlings.  Members also receive invitations to special gatherings, tastings and events.  The Committee, chaired by Mickey Heads, is free to join at ardbeg.com. 

Awards:

Ardbeg is the world’s most highly awarded smoky single malt whisky.  Since 2008, Ardbeg has won more than 50 gold and double gold medals in key whisky competitions.  Ardbeg was voted ‘World Whisky of the Year’ twice by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible (2008, 2009) and has twice been awarded ‘World’s Best Single Malt’ at the World Whiskies Awards (2010, 2013).  At the 2014 Global Icons of Whisky Awards, Mickey Heads was voted ‘Distillery Manager of the Year’.  The following year, Ardbeg’s expressions took the top three spots in Whisky Advocate magazine’s review of the best single malt Scotch whiskies under US$100.  Meanwhile, both Ardbeg Corryvreckan and Ardbeg Uigeadail have been awarded gold medals at the 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Ardbeg’s core range:

Ardbeg An Oa (pronounced “an oh”) is the first expression to be added to Ardbeg’s core range for almost a decade.  In 2000, the Distillery released Ardbeg Ten Years Old.  In 2003, it was followed by Ardbeg Uigeadail and in 2009, by Ardbeg Corryvreckan. 

The Glenmorangie Company:

The Company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers and marketers of Scotch whisky brands worldwide and is part of Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.  Headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Company produces Glenmorangie Single Highland Malt whisky and Ardbeg Single Islay Malt.

Responsible Drinking:

Ardbeg and The Glenmorangie Company advocate responsible drinking and suggest that drinkers savour Ardbeg whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption