Ardbeg Uigeadail - Review
Age: No age statement
Barrel type: part in ex-bourbon barrels, part in ex-sherry casks
Region: Islay
ABV: 54.2%
Price: $80
Additional details: non-chill filtered, natural color
The masterful Ardbeg distillery brings us this scotch, named after the loch whose waters are the lifeblood of the distillery. Uigeadail also means "dark and mysterious place," and they've succeeded in creating a mystique around this scotch that has made it one of the most successful no-age-statement expressions of all time. Uigeadail won the 2009 award for whiskey of the year from Jim Murray, a noted whisky critic, which inspired me to try this scotch about five years ago. At the time, it was one of the first three or four bottles of scotch I'd purchased, but I didn't know how to fully appreciate what I had on my hands. Now, my scotch journey has brought me back to this dark and mysterious place, and I wonder whether I'll find it much transformed from what I remember.
Hard as it is to believe, Ardbeg all but shut down in the 1990s. When the distillery restarted, it had some old casks of sherry-aged scotch from the pre-shutdown era. A flash of inspiration -- blend these old, sherried scotches, which were a little long in the tooth, with some vibrant, youthful, heavily peated spirit. The result was Uigeadail. The version we can buy at the local liquor store and try today is a little different because the distillery ran out of that extra-aged sherried scotch, so the average age of the liquid in the bottle has dropped significantly. For better or worse, I never had an opportunity to try "classic" Uigeadail, and can only review what's in this sample bottle. Thankfully, it's a delight.
Appearance: I compared this scotch side by side with Dark Cove, Ardbeg's 2016 limited release (and another sherry-aged Ardbeg). Relative to Dark Cove, Uigeadail is hard to distinguish, but one or two shades lighter. It's a nice, honeyed color. As a cask strength dram (54.2%), it clings to the sides of the glass and drops its legs slowly.
Nose: Fruitcake! I don't like to eat it, but it is a nice scent to get from a whisky. The peat here isn't smoky, it has more of an engine oil or diesel scent. Yes, I know it's strange that I speak of that in a positive way, but it is a sharp, necessary contrast to the raisins and dark berries from the sherry aging. Uigeadail epitomizes the classic peat-and-sweet combo for me. It also has a pronounced wine-like character, which is a bit reminiscent of Ardbeg Auriverdes to me.
Palate: I can sum up the difference between this dram and the base Ardbeg 10 expression in four words: More richness, less citrus. Uigeadail has a rich, sherry-influenced sweetness, complemented by an oily texture. Like any half-decent diner, it also stocks plenty of salt and pepper. Similar to the nose, the raspberry and fortified wine sweetness finds its counterpoint in a rough, heated peat. There is some detectable youthfulness in this scotch, which may explain why they didn't want to put an age statement on it. Compared to the Dark Cove, I get less honey, fewer savory flavors (not as much meatiness), and less chocolate. On the other hand, Uigeadail has a distinct minty note.
Finish: As it dries on the tongue, oily, savory peat, bark, oak, and salt are the first flavors to arrive. It continues to stewed fruits, which is unsurprising given the strong sherry influence in the first two stages. The longest lingering notes are mint and a distinct aftertaste of cigar smoke, which is an interesting transformation from the less smoky peat that I tasted before.
Value for Money and Final Impressions: Ardbeg Uigeadail is one of the best values in the scotch world, full stop. It sells for about $80 here in Miami, but there are California liquor stores selling online that list this at $55, which is a tremendous bargain (combine it with another bottle or two to prorate the shipping costs, and you've gotten a bottle of Uigeadail for $60-65). I don't like it quite as much as the Dark Cove, due to the absence of the chocolate notes that I loved in that dram. Nonetheless, this is a knockout -- and the best of Ardbeg's permanent lineup.
Rating: A