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Ardbeg Uigeadail

Splinter Bomb

0 1491

@markjedi1Review by @markjedi1

27th Jul 2010

0

Ardbeg Uigeadail
  • Nose
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  • Taste
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  • Finish
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  • Balance
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  • Overall
    91

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

The Uigeadail is named after the Loch from which the distillery takes its water for production and means ‘dark, mysterious place’. You pronounce it ‘OOG-a-dal’. It was matured on both bourbon and sherrycasks, making it a blended malt (previously vatted malt). In 2008 it was named Whisky of the Year and Jim Murray gave it 97,5 points in his bible.

This Arbeg Uigeadail sports a full gold color, but has a Brown sheen on it. Nice fat tears in the glass.

The nose is very intense and complex. The younger bourbon cask are no match for the older sherry casks, though. The sweet peat and herring on the barbeque notes are overpowered by new leather, raisins and other dark fruits as well as furniture polish. Let’s not forget the silt! Adding water makes the vanilla come back to the fore.

This dram is a sneaky splinter bomb. It rolls over the tongue without much fuss despite the ABV, but once behind the teeth, it explodes in a true palate of tastes. Lime, smoke, liquorice, vanilla, bitter marmalade of overripe oranges, soot from a recently doused barbeque or fireplace, topped off with some spices (chili). Adding water is not a good idea – it flattens the taste, but brings nothing new to the palate. Better not do that.

The long finish is dominated by smoked ham and oak and dries the mouth.

Wow, this is another very good Islay whisky in general and Ardbeg in particular, the second best I’ve tasted so far (after the Corryvreckan). The Uigeadail puts the standard 10 Year Old to shame and is still way ahead of the überhyped Rollercoaster.

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14 comments

@galg
galg commented

9 indeed!

love this one. my top #1 dram from Islay.

14 years ago 0

@TommieJones
TommieJones commented

To me, the Supernova is ahead of this one. The pricewinner in Jim's Bible was a rare Canadian bottling. At Ardbeg, they marketed a new batch at the pricewinning ABV. At least, that's what I presume. I cannot believe though, that this is the pricewinner. To me this is similar to the other Uigeadail in the Bible, which gets a 89. Still an absolute must have, but no comparison to superb old/rare drams, for example This I say, being an Ardbeg fan and committee member, and aware of the fact that tastes differ. I agree about your tasting notes and the water. The red fruit and grape of the sherry influence is also a note that I got.

14 years ago 0

@TommieJones
TommieJones commented

Thanks very much for your useful link, Galg. I rated it 'excellent'.

Finally some thoughts about consistency in marrying whisky and the influence of the place where you drink it. The Ardbeg Uigeadail 2010 of 54,2 ABV I have at home, seems different from the Canadian awardwinning 'Batch' and also different from the one I tasted in Islay in 2009. All at the same ABV! The one I drank in Islay ended up my #2 Islay journey dram (only surpassed by an exquisite Port Ellen at Lochside Hotel). The one I have at home seems to have less chocolate, less sharpness, less wood influence. Together with Galg's OOgling, I'm discussing 4 Uigeadail experiences here, so I'm kinda puzzled.

Supernova and Corryvreckan are on top of my Ardbeg-list at the moment. And of course the 10YO, a must have. At this moment, I wouldn't say the Uigeadail (at home) beats the 10YO.

14 years ago 0

@galg
galg commented

Tommie, really? i do find the Uggie more complex and rewarding than the 10, which is excellent. Corry is awesome too, but way way more biting. and the SN , well i like it that's a different story. posting next week in the blog, so keep reading and see what i mean ;)

many thanks amigo.

Ardbeg, FTW!

14 years ago 0

@markjedi1
markjedi1 commented

@Tommie-Jones, do you mean the Supernova 2010 edition? I have yet to taste that one (but do have a sample in my cabinet waiting).

14 years ago 0

@galg
galg commented

yes Markjedi1 , i mean SN2010. tasted it recently. it's good. but man, it's like a 20 Kg hammer

14 years ago 0

@TommieJones
TommieJones commented

@markjedi1: Looks like your sample collection grows bigger and bigger! Wonder how you manage. I only tasted the first Supernova, in Oran Mor Glasgow. This location probably influenced my tastingnotes...: It was like a whole meal of a big big family with numerous dishes one after another: roasted fish on cedar wood on a plain of peat, sweet dark Belgian beer, laurel, fresh grapes, chocolate pie, crème brulée, amaretto and a big cigar.

@galg: looking forward to your review of the 20 kg hammer.

14 years ago 0

@galg
galg commented

@toommie , i also have a lot of samples to go... i think 35 or so. i have yet to try...

14 years ago 0

@markjedi1
markjedi1 commented

I know, I know, don't tell my liver. I have 91 samples to go. Should keep me occupied until the end of the year, I think, eh? :)

14 years ago 0

@galg
galg commented

wow 91. fancy a tradE?

14 years ago 0

@markjedi1
markjedi1 commented

@galg, feel free to shoot me a PM and maybe something can be arranged. Obviously, my 91 samples are exactly that: samples to be tried by me (because I either traded or purchased them). But I do have several open bottles of which I can offer you samples. PM me your private e-mail and I'll send you my list.

14 years ago 0

@markjedi1
markjedi1 commented

Just retried this one and still believe it to be worthy of 91 points, but after re-reading this review, I just saw I wrote a blunder in the first paragraph. I wrote it was a mix of both bourbon and sherry casks (which is true) but then go on claiming it is thus a blended malt (previously vatted malt). What? Of course not! This is a single malt. Not sure where that silly mistake came from. A vatted malt is - of course - a blend of two or more single malts. Sorry about that cock up.

12 years ago 0

@Wills
Wills commented

Thx to all of you guys - Tommie, Gal and Mark! First time I am hearing of this Young Uige and this pricing is just insane...

But I am loving the standard bottling. I'd give it a 91 for sure, maybe even more! Well I checked my detailed cabinet, actually I gave it a 91 too ;)

12 years ago 0