Ardbeg Uigeadail Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

"...an incredibly complex Islay whisky... - whiskyadvocate.com

Voted by the 120,000+ strong Ardbeg Committee as their favourite Ardbeg.

Launched in 2003, “Uigeadail” (the loch from which all Ardbeg water flows) is a cask strength, heavily peated Ardbeg produced from a mix of bourbon casks and older sherry casks. The combination gives the whisky a nice texture and sweet, smokey finish. Our tasting was from a batch released in 2010. The whisky offers a generous, sherry-influenced nose of dried apricot and marmalade over menthol and smouldering cedar smoke; ripe green apple notes emerging with time in the glass. The palate is off-dry, boasting rich, dark chocolate flavours, becoming heavier and fudge-like with orange chocolate and sweet cereals, the peat continually reinventing itself - at once dry and sooty, then tarry and finally more maritime at the finish. Boiled lolly and mixed spices run through the aftertaste followed by a subtle spearmint fade. The balance at cask strength is excellent. Serious stuff for peaters! 54.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

Other reviews... With the Ardbeg 17 year old off the market, it’s nice to see a new Ardbeg in the line-up. Uigeadail costs about the same as the Ardbeg 17 did but, with Uigeadail, you’re getting a much more interesting whisky. Uigeadail consists of a marriage of younger whisky (from 1990 and 1993) with much older whisky matured in sherry casks. The marriage works exceptionally well, with the younger whiskies providing the classic Ardbeg intensity many of us have come to expect, while the older whiskies contribute depth, maturity, and complexity. And bottling the whisky at cask-strength without chill-filtration ensures that none of the flavors are stripped out. This is an incredibly complex Islay whisky, with its bonfire smoke, brine, and peppered olive notes balanced by a taming sweetness of vanilla, marshmallow, and toffee. Interwoven notes of candied fruit and sugared almonds round out the palate. Incredibly long finish. 94 points - whiskyadvocate.com

A curious Ardbeg with a nose to die for. Some tinkering - please guys, as the re-taste is not better - regarding the finish may lift this to being a true classic. 89 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2019

...Uigeadail is quite different from the 10 Year Old because it is blended from both bourbon and sherry casks, including some older stock. The sherry influence alone makes for a vastly different experience, starting with the nose, which dampens the smokiness with notes of roasted nuts, citrus, and an earthy, leathery character that simply feels like history. The palate offers a rather different experience, which adds to the curiosity and interest, melding smoke with notes of well-roasted meats, walnut shells, pipe tobacco, and cloves. The finish is lengthy and brooding — aided by the considerably higher alcohol level — a lingering reminder of how this Ardbeg may be an entirely different beast, yet just as good as the 10.  - drinkhacker.com

...My God, the first Uigeadail, it was so good back then! But we were in 2004 and we tasted it with Stuart Thompson on site (while smoking cigarettes in the warehouses, different times, different customs. No, just cigarettes). The last Uigeadail we tasted, a 'circa 2017', was still very good (WF 85), but far from the early batches which tended to surf around 92 points. Colour: gold. Nose: it's good, effective, very peaty of course, again with barbecue and ash notes, a sherry influence more discreet than in the past (green walnuts), and some broken branches. Some sap, in short. With water: very, very good, maritime, with very nice notes of barbecue on the beach, when we grill both fresh fish and marshmallows. Not together mind you! Mouth (neat): it's very good, very powerful, with much more substance than in the Corryvreckan. It almost tastes like smoked walnut oil, just like there's smoked sesame oil. In fact, we can find a bit of that too in this Uigeadail. Also some touches of canned peach, which always works. With water: milk chocolate and roasted peanuts. What wouldn't I do for some roasted peanuts!? Finish: long and a bit more drying which is really not unusual. Very nice final finish on oysters and candied citron, plus a bit of walnut oil and chocolate. Comments: oh yes, it talks! Very nice balance in this recent batch, the flame is alive and glowing. 88 points - whiskyfun.com

Nose: Intensely smoky. Dry, clean, tangy smoke. Like standing downwind of the barbecue while steaks are char-grilled on the beach. Palate: Firm, very smooth, then explodes on the tongue. Finish: Hot. Alcoholic. A shock to the system. Comment: The elemental opposite of the sophisticated Lord of the Isles. RATING: 9.25 points - Michael Jackson,whiskmag.com