Ardbeg

Ardbeg An Oa

Ardbeg added another entry to their main line in 2017, the An Oa (pronounced “an oh”) is named after the Mull of Oa located near the distillery. It was released with a quirky little video by way of introduction. The focus of the An Oa is that it has spent time in Ardbeg’s gathering vat, where whisky from many different cask types are blended together. The casks included here are from new charred oak, ex-PX sherry, and first fill bourbon casks, though there is no information on how much of each kind is included. There is also no information on how old any of the whiskies blended into this single malt are, though that is common for No Age Statements.

By Adam | April 5, 2020 | Islay | No Comments |

It should be no secret to those who follow us at Scotchology that many of us are big Ardbeg fans, and have been since the beginning. We’ve explored nearly every main range offering, from the 10 year to the Uigeadail, along with several of their more limited offerings. The Ardbeg Corryvreckan is named after the famous whirlpool situated north of Islay, which legend says Viking prince Breacan entered as an act of bravery to prove his love for a princess. Legend says he’s now at the bottom of that whirlpool, so we leave it to you to determine his worthiness. In the meantime, this scotch requires you to prove nothing but a willingness to pour and sip.

By Adam | April 5, 2019 | Islay | No Comments |

Taking a page from the illicit beginnings of whisky production in a long ago Scotland, the 2016 Committee Release by Ardbeg is called the Dark Cove. This hearkens back to before the official founding of the distillery in 1815, specifically to a time when excise men from the government found and raided the secret cove from whence the smugglers had long been using as a base of operations. With that illegal arm of whisky distribution disbanded, the site was soon occupied by the McDougall family, who were the founders of Ardbeg. Legend has it John McDougall’s own sons, Alexander and Alan, were arrested for smuggling years before the distillery was born. Ardbeg held many events under the cover of night upon this release, along with aging the spirit in dark sherry casks.

By Adam | March 9, 2017 | Islay | No Comments |