From the peat capital of the world comes another smoky side-by-side comparison: Ardbeg 10 vs An Oa single malt Scotch whisky.
Both whiskies come from the legendary Ardbeg Distillery on the island of Islay and are part of the distillery’s core range, alongside the Uigeadail and Corryvreckan. If you enjoy big, smoky, peated whisky, this comparison is worth exploring.
Ardbeg is one of those distilleries that divides whisky drinkers. Some love the intense peat, smoke and maritime character, while others find the combination a little too much. I have definitely moved towards the peat-loving side over the years.
A little about Ardbeg Distillery
The Ardbeg distillery sits on the south coast of Islay, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, in the Inner Hebrides. The distillery has produced whisky commercially since 1815 and has developed a reputation for intensely peated single malts with plenty of character.
Ardbeg uses malted barley sourced from the Port Ellen maltings, and the whisky is known for its distinctive combination of heavy peat smoke, citrus, maritime notes and a slightly medicinal character.
The distillery is now part of the LVMH group, alongside other prestigious spirits and luxury brands, including Glenmorangie.
Every year, Ardbeg fans around the world celebrate Ardbeg Day. The distillery also releases a special annual Ardbeg Day bottling, and I have been lucky enough to taste quite a few of these limited releases.
The 2023 Ardbeg Day release was particularly interesting. Called Heavy Vapours, it was produced without the use of the purifier, which normally helps influence the balance between Ardbeg’s powerful peat character and its more floral and fruity notes. The result was a limited-edition whisky designed to push Ardbeg’s smoky character even further.
But today, I am focusing on two of the more accessible whiskies in the core range.
Also Read: Ardbeg 10 vs Talisker 10 yo Whisky
Ardbeg 10 year old Whisky
The Ardbeg 10 year old is one of the distillery’s best-known single malt expressions and something of a benchmark for heavily peated Islay whisky. It is matured for at least ten years in ex-bourbon American oak casks and is bottled without chill filtration.
Ardbeg 10 is heavily peated, with the malt generally quoted at around 50–55 ppm phenol levels. Despite all that smoke, it manages to retain plenty of citrus and fruit character, making it considerably more balanced than you might expect from such a heavily peated whisky. This release pairs well with garlic leg of lamb or a charcuterie platter.
Ardbeg An Oa Whisky
The Ardbeg An Oa was the first single malt addition to the permanent core range since 2009. Named after the Mull of Oa, a dramatic headland on the southwestern tip of Islay, An Oa takes a slightly different approach to the classic Ardbeg style.
Unlike Ardbeg 10, An Oa has no age statement. It is created from whisky matured in a combination of Pedro Ximénez (PX) sherry casks, charred virgin oak and ex-bourbon casks. Ardbeg then marries these cask styles in a French oak marrying vat before bottling. It has no age statement.
This combination gives An Oa a rounder and more approachable character while still retaining the unmistakable Ardbeg DNA. Food pairings that work with the An Oa include pungent cheese, salmon sashimi and pulled pork.
Ardbeg 10 vs An Oa Single Malt Whisky
| Ardbeg 10 yo | Ardbeg An Oa | |
|---|---|---|
| ABV | 46% | 46.6% |
| Region | Islay Whisky | Islay Whisky |
| Peat Level | 55 to 65 ppm | 50 - 60 ppm |
| Colour | Pale Straw with green hints | Light gold |
| Nose | Peat and smoke with hints of vanilla, sea salt and citrus sweetness. It is not overwhelming but inviting and intriguing. | Peat, creamy honey, salted liquorice with hints of cough syrup. In the middle sweet vanilla floats about mingling with bits of toasted nuts and pine needles. Faint smoke lurks around. |
| Palate | After the initial peat, some warming citrus and hints of vanilla. It continues to bring you hints of coffee and a bit of iodine. | Ash, peat, soft honey, sweet vanilla and cinnamon sugar, hints of chocolate and toasted oak. Faint hints of lemon pepper. It’s smooth and velvety. A green note in the background. |
| Finish | What an epic finish! You will remember the Ardbeg 10 yo long after you have emptied the glass. | Smoothly with a long and lingering finish that hug and comfort you like a favourite jersey. Filled with sweetness and bits of nut. |
| My Rating | Excellent | Divine |
| Pairs well with | Garlic leg of lamb or a charcuterie platter and Comte cheese | Strong Cheese, salmon sashimi and pulled pork |
This side-by-side tasting was surprisingly tricky. We decided to taste the two whiskies blind to see whether we could work out which was which. You can eventually tell them apart, but it takes a little concentration. Both are big, bold drams with plenty of peat and smoke, but there are some important differences once you start looking for them.
The Ardbeg 10 year old has more pronounced citrus notes and a slightly drier, cleaner mouthfeel. The peat, coffee, smoke and iodine-like maritime character wrap around the palate like a warming blanket. There is plenty of intensity here, but it is not simply about the smoke.
Lemon and other citrus notes provide freshness and help keep the whisky from becoming too heavy. The finish is bold, smoky and lingering. This is a whisky that stays with you long after the glass is empty.
Moving across to the Ardbeg An Oa, the first thing I notice is the texture. It has a creamier, richer mouthfeel that reminds me of burnt butter. An Oa is also sweeter on the palate, with more noticeable vanilla, chocolate and nutty flavours. The mix also has green pine notes, adding an interesting herbal edge.
The peat is still there, but when tasted alongside the 10 year old, it feels softer and more elegant. The smoke is integrated rather than dominating the entire experience. The finish is smoother and slightly richer, making An Oa an easy whisky to settle into.
Which one is better?
So, which wins the Ardbeg 10 vs An Oa battle? For me, it comes down to what you want from your whisky.
If you want a classic, powerful Islay dram with citrus, smoke, peat, coffee, and maritime character, the Ardbeg 10 Year Old is hard to beat. It has more intensity and a slightly drier profile.
If you prefer something rounder, creamier, and sweeter, Ardbeg An Oa is likely the better choice. The combination of PX sherry, virgin oak and bourbon casks gives it additional depth and sweetness without losing the signature Ardbeg smoke.
My sweeter palate naturally enjoyed the An Oa more. Hubby, however, preferred the Ardbeg 10 year old. And that is the beauty of whisky. There is rarely one definitive winner.
Both are big, bold and seriously enjoyable Islay single malts, and both deserve a place in my collection. If you enjoy comparing heavily peated whiskies, I have also done a side-by-side tasting of Ardbeg Corryvreckan vs Uigeadail to see how these two powerhouse Ardbeg expressions compare.
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Also Read: Ardbeg 10 vs Lagavulin 16 yo whisky
