Ardbeg Uigeadail

Boring, meek, shallow, average, foul – these are all antonyms to the words that would best describe Ardbeg’s outstanding Uigeadail expression, which sits before me as I write this very review, smothering me with its luxurious peaty smoke. This isn’t the first Ardbeg review I’ve written (keen readers may remember by previous brown-nose reviews of Blasda, Renaissance and 10yr old and once again I am going to end up sounding like a complete fanboy, which I suppose that I am.

The Uigeadail expression is meant to combine that trademark Ardbeg peaty smokiness that we have all come to love and cherish with a bit of feminine sweetness provided by Sherry and Bourbon casks. The result is a 54.2% monster full of, well, smoke, peat and sweetness! Starting with the nose, it starts out by punching you pretty solidly in the nose with a fist of salty peat and smoke – much as you would expect – and you may not find much sweetness. Returning for a second, third and fourth (not fifth, though, that’s just silly) sniff, however, the sweetness starts to make itself apparent as well, warding off some of the smoke to tickle you with dry raisins, vanilla pod, pear, and a floral note – two big thumbs up.

The palate is an astonishing duet of Ardbeg’s traditional manly, earthy, peaty, buttery, smoky notes with a lighter sweetness of raisins, some dried fruit of unknown variety (it seems to change with every sip; Ardbeg themselves summarize it as Christmas Cake, and I agree), vanilla, and Lyle & Tate’s Treacle.

Alternatively, both the nose and palate could be summarized with one word: Yum. As for value, I’d say it’s quite a good purchase. With the standard 10 year old bottling being priced at around $65, and the Uigeadail at around $90, I would spend the extra couple of quid 7 times out of 10, as in my opinion you get a more interesting whisky – though both are great.

Eye: Dark straw.

Nose: Smoke, peat, salt, raisins, pear, vanilla, floral.

Palate: Earthy, peaty, smoky, buttery, raisins, dried fruit (Christmas cake), vanilla, treacle.

Want to buy this whisky? Available in: USA & World (click), UK & Europe (click)