Ardbeg Uigeadial

Useful Information

If you are on the south coast road of the "Kildalton Shore" from Port Ellen to the Kildalton Cross, you will inevitably find yourself at the gates of the Ardbeg distillery. It is named after the Gaelic expression for "small hill", Taigh - stail Àirde Beaga. The Ardbeg brand Wisheys are known for their intense, aromatic – smoky and peaty notes. The statement to describe the Ardbeg whiskeys as "heavily peated" is not wrong, but still too "very simplistic". The whiskeys of the neighboring distilleries Laphroaig and Lagavulin are peated about the same as those of Caol Ila and yet the smoky notes are very different in all of them. This begs the question of why? This is largely due to the different distillation processes. The tube that connects the gooseneck of the spirit still with its belly guides the condensed liquid back into the still. This reflux not only increases the complexity of the brand, it also makes it lighter because the vapor gets more copper contact. The result of this process is simple, "sweetness". In addition, the fermentation period was extended. Short fermentation times give a brand a sharp smoky note, while a long fermentation process makes it significantly creamier and contains more acid.

Flavors

The name Uigeadail comes from the lake of the same name, from which the Ardbeg distillery gets its peaty water. After the maturation process in bourbon and sherry barrels, it is not cold filtered and at barrel strength with 54.2% vol. bottled. The Uigeadail can confidently be called Ardbeg in its most massive form. In the nose it surprises with a ripe and smoky note, as well as a concentrated sweetness, which is composed of dark fruits, christmas cake, floral notes, fresh sea air, oily leather up to notes of chocolate and raisins. In terms of taste, it is initially cautious on the palate, but this quickly changes to expansive and elemental, where it unfolds its full strength and full-bodied texture. This convinces with a fascinating balance between sweet sherry, malt, peat, winter spices and deep smoky flvors, which are repeatedly broken through by the alcohol. The astonishingly long finish with deep mocha, raisins, light peat and aromatic smoke notes rounds off the enjoyment.