Ardbeg Uigeadail Batch Notes

I purchased a bottle of Uigeadail on Dec 2, 2015 at the LCBO. Bottle code is in this form, in two lines:

L60129 05/11/2014 14011689 13:41

How does one interpret this code? Is the date dd/mm/yyyy or mm/dd/yyyy? Is 13:41 the time the bottle ran through the line / was filled?

Have not found a similar bottle code anywhere, not even on the Ardbeg Project web site.

@tfahey1298

Correction:

L60129 05/11/2014

14011689 13:41

So has Ardbeg changed its batch codes? I have a just purchased bottle of Uigeadail that reads "L61747 31/03/2015."

I have yet to crack it open. I am still admiring the dark and mysterious beauty of a full unopened bottle.

Oops. Somehow I missed the prior post. It looks like the new codes have been in use for a while.

@tfahey1298 (and all others)

Yes, Ardbeg has changed the batch code system in mid 2014. The old system for an Uigeadail that I have read: L14 028 14:25 6ML. This meant: L14 = 2014 and then 028 = the 28th Day of the year, or January 28th.

Here is the new system:

L63646 17/11/2015

5010948 08:45

This is what it means. After the L63646 you now have the day/month/year. In this case it is the 17th day of the 11th month (November) in 2015. This, in my opinion, is so much easier to read.

The number below is the control number (ignore that) and then you have the time stamp 08:45 - or the 8th hour and the 45th minute (8:45am).

There you go.

I have found a few bottle in mid 2014 that did not have the back slashes between the day/month/year. But I am not seeing that anymore.

Please keep those batch numbers coming in. I have a few I need to report on

How are recent batches from 2015 and 2016? I am planing to buy a bottle. Any specific batches to look out for?

I realize I gave the code but not a comment: L63646 17/11/2015 = 17th day of the 11th month (November) in 2015.

This Batch of Uigeadial is one to avoid. It never really comes together. Not much sherry influence. Rather bland. Not even great for a peat fix. After several tasting it is in the 83 range. But I could see scoring it lower.

Thoughts on Uigeadail 21/06/2021

Sadly, but expectedly, it has been my experience that there has been a steady decline in the quality of Ardbeg Uigeadail over the past 10 years.

I would say, broadly speaking, that there are two basic kinds of Uigeadail batches. The first is where the sherry is the dominant voice in the peat ensemble. The second, is where the sherry takes a back seat and acts like a backup singer. Some of my favorite batches have been of the latter (L11 028 and L13 245). Over the years, I have grown to deeply love the first kind where the sherry is the clear star (L11 147 and L13 322). Jim Murray’s favorite batch of Uigeadail (L7 325) was an example where the sherry was the star, but everything blended in perfect harmony.

However, of late, I have found fewer and fewer batches of the sherry-forward examples. Further, most of the batches since 2017 seem to suffer from an overly youthful spirity character instead of the rounded, mature spirit notes indicative of mature quality casks. The story is that they switched the recipe from older sherry casks (age unknown) to younger 6 year old sherry cask matured spirit around 2008. It appears, the quality of those youthful casks has not always been great.

However, I am very pleased to recommend the newest batch I have tried 21/06/2021. This is from June 6th of 2021. Sadly, it is the most recent batch to hit the State Liquor Controlled shelves here in Virginia. Still, it is one of the darkest sherry batches I have seen in quite some time. The last sherry dominant batch I noted is from 03/03/2015. So, there you go. If you see it, 21/06/2021 is a good one.

I have an unopened bottle from May 24, 2016. Have you had experience with this batch? I would love to hear thoughts from anyone before I crack this one open!

@Pudge72 I have a heel left of a Oct 2016, had a small pour about 2 months ago and it was as good as I remember over the last 4-5 years since I opened it. I stopped gassing bottles a few years ago so not sure if that made a difference.

@Pudge72 sorry to say I haven't tried any of the batches from 2016. Sadly, that is the way it seems to go in my liquor controlled state. I got two batches from 2015. Then three batches from 2017. Then two batches from 2020. My guess is that Virginia makes a big order two times a year and then it just sits on the shelf. Once it starts to sell out they order more.

So sadly, I have no experience with Ardbeg Uigeadail batches from 2016 or 2018 (or 2012).

But I would love to hear how you find your particular batch when you decide to crack it!

@Nock as I have discovered that I am less than 1/4 of a bottle away (end of a Lagavulin 8) from not having an open bottle of fully peated whisky, the Uigedail is probably the next, or at least on the very short list of, bottle(s) to be opened. Will keep you posted!