|
7th August 2019 |
Ardbeg's
latest permanent addition wins three
classes as Ardbeg scoops ‘Distillery of
the Year’ at the International Whisky
Competition 2019.
 The newest addition to the Ardbeg
core range has won ‘Best Islay Single
Malt’ and two further classes at the
International Whisky Competition 2019.
The smoky, sweet and singularly rounded,
Ardbeg An Oa earned one of the highest
scores at the competition, as the Islay
Distillery was crowned ‘Distillery of
the Year’.
Back in 2017 Ardbeg An Oa was the
first new whisky to be added to the
Islay distillery's core range in 10
years. It takes its name from the most untamed spot
of Ardbeg’s remote Scottish island home,
the whisky’s character summons all the
delicious contrasts of the Mull of Oa –
a rugged headland where storm meets calm
it is a vatting of whiskies from several
cask types - including; sweet Pedro
Ximenez; spicy Virgin charred oak; and
American ex-bourbon casks, amongst
others.
Judges at the IWC were full of praise
for Ardbeg An Oa, naming it Best Single
Malt Scotch (No Age Statement), Best
Islay Single Malt and Best Peated
Whisky, with one of the highest scores
in the competition – 95.3 points out of
100. Head judge Sebastien Gavillet said:
“Ardbeg An Oa, with its aromas and
flavour profile, is a worthy winner of
these three awards. The whisky is
exceptional on its own, but its
complexity also means that it works well
in cocktails, appealing to a wide
selection of tastes.”
Ardbeg An Oa’s balanced character
includes the richness of spirit matured
in Pedro Ximénez casks, the spice of a
parcel aged in virgin oak, and all the
hallmark intensity of Ardbeg matured in
ex-bourbon barrels. Gathered together by
an Ardbeggian alchemy in the
Distillery’s Gathering Vat, the whiskies
unite to create an untamed single malt
far more complex and rounded than the
sum of its parts.
According to Dr Bill Lumsden, Director
of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky
Stocks at The Glenmorangie Company,
mixology is the perfect way to explore
Ardbeg An Oa’s contrasts. He said:
"We’re delighted that the IWC’s judges
enjoyed Ardbeg An Oa so much. With its
balance of powerful intensity and sweet
silkiness, the whisky is delicious
straight up, with ice or in cocktails,
which showcase different sides of its
character. For a clean, refreshing
serve, I’d suggest an Islay Daiquiri.
And fans of the Old Fashioned should try
our take on this classic, named the
‘Foster’, using Ardbeg An Oa for a
sweetly smoky twist."
You will find the current Ardbeg
whisky range, including the outstanding
award winning Ardbeg An Oa available from specialist
online whisky retailers such as
The Whisky Exchange,
The Whisky Shop and
Master of Malt
|
Ardbeg An Oa Review
|
William
Morrison's Tasting Notes:
Nose: A lovely refined sweet peat
smoke infused with liquorice tinged
vanilla toffee and a very gentle fruity
mix of orange, lemon and lime.
Taste: A stunning silky smooth
delivery with dark molasses sugars
coating every corner of the mouth which
is kept from overpowering by a touch of
dark chocolate, all brushed with some
lovely Ardbeg, orange and liquorice
infused, peat smoke.
Finish: Deliciously long,
delicate smoke laced liquorice and
treacle toffee fades leaving a gentle
nuttiness and mildly drying oak spice.
Comment: An outstanding and very welcome addition to the
Ardbeg core range, even by Ardbeg's
standards it is top class. It isn't an
Ardbeg peat monster, it is a more
refined Ardbeg which lets the casks that
created it have their say but there is
still enough Ardbeg peat smoke here to
put a smile on the face of the most devoted Ardbegian's.
SMW Score 94/100
|
Where To Buy Whisky Online
|
|
Select a country for a list of
specialist Whisky shops who delivers to
you:
|
Whisky Focus
<<<Back to
Whisky Focus for more Whisky News
|
Top
Of Page |
|
|
Online Whisky Shops |
|
|
|
New Whiskies |
| Check out the latest
new whisky releases. |
 |
| Worldwide delivery
available.
More Info |
|
