Ardbeg Uigeadail

Nose: Deep and rich. Chocolate and fruits. Dark black earth and peat, now it changes to candy canes and mint – but just for a second. Tons of spices. This is a great bottle. This tone is a very rich baritone. Not the most powerful Uigeadail, but that makes for a fantastic intimate venue. Digging in you get to the intense black cherries, leather, with a distant log fire. This is all about chocolate covered dark fruits: there is a rich cake smell – chocolate dates, black cherries and prune cake. Sounds strange and decadent. You really have to tune in and focus to appreciate this one. If you are not in the right mind frame you could easily pass over it. My guess is there is some old Ardbeg in here.
Reading Jim Murray’s review of this particular batch of Uigeadail (it was this batch that he awarded a 97.5 and named it 2009 World Whisky of the Year) I am finally beginning to pick up on his “style” of evaluation. He describes this nose as “hinting” at all kinds of things (“A hint, but no more of . . .”). And I see what he means: this is a very subtle Uigeadail nose – easily the most subtle Uigeadail batch I have tasted. Nothing really stands out or takes a dominating role. It is like a symphony playing at mezzo-piano. Or like a painting such as Impression, soleil levant (Impression: Sunrise) by Moet. This is a work of art in impressionism. And while I can appreciate this delicate nose I tend to prefer a strong nose that is fortissimo (perhaps Picasso’s Guernica?). I like my Ardbeg boarder line offensive and painful (with depth and flavor). Water brings out the woody notes and a bit more peat. This is better in its style (if you like balance) with water.

Taste: Sweet mocha and fruit. Very light and delicate on the tongue: juicy and sweet. Near the end a faint hint of bitterness? Just as you swallow. . . . was that a bitter note? Ya, it is just there for a second . . .

Finish: Big finish. Something almost slightly bitter and off here just as you swallow it . . . but only just. You are left with bittersweet coco, leather, and peat embers. This is very salty with tons of peat fire. Over all a lovely finish that for me has a slight bitter bump between an enjoyable taste and a delightful finish. I will have to revisit this one again in the near future.

Complexity, Balance: Huge points for balance. This might be the most balanced Uigeadail I have ever tried. Complexity is right up there with my most favorite batches. But it doesn’t beat down the door with its complexity (like L13 058 and L11 028). The only negative point is the slight bitterness between the swallow and the finish . . . it was a only a split second . . .

Aesthetic experience: This is the darkest and looks the sexiest of the bunch I have reviewed (2007-2013 . . . with earlier batches to follow).

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