Review by: ZoidbergOnTheRocks
It’s pretty well known that Uigeadail has changed throughout the years so I figured a side-by-side would be worthwhile.
All three were bottled at 54.2% and are an unknown blend of bourbon and sherry casks. It’s a NAS and labeled as NCF, but no information on color being added. Some people assume that there’s E150a in there, but I don’t believe that’s the case. A hallmark of a distillery using color is that an expression remains a consistent color over time, that’s kinda the point. But that’s clearly not the case here.
Tasted on 2020/08/21, all neat in a Glencarin to start then a bit of water later.
Oldest first, the bottle code on this one is L8 083 23:41 4ML, which means 2008/03/23. I purchased this bottle in late ’08 IIRC, and the remains of it have been kept in a 250ml boston round since it got down to about half of the original bottle.
Distillery: Ardbeg
Bottler: Distillery Bottling
Region: Scotland, Islay
ABV: 54.2%
Age: NAS. Bottled in 03/23/2008.
Cask type: Bourbon / Sherry Casks
Natural color. Non-chill-filtered.
Nose: peat smoke, dark berries (bing cherries, raisins, etc.), sherry, English toffee, tar, lemon, a bit of sea water, rubber, hemp rope, a bit of BBQ or bacon under there, a bit of camphor. There’s more here the longer it sits there. With water: more leather, rubber, all the rest still there, a little sulphur perhaps, maybe a bit of licorice in there.
Taste: smoke, rich, dark w/ those berries again, oily, really coats the mouth, a bit of pepper, sweet lemon, tangerines perhaps, sea salt, a bit of dark chocolate. With water: saltier, still rich & dark, similar otherwise.
Finish: beautiful smoke, dates, tar, a bit of salty sea, a bit earthy, it’s surprisingly long, no bitterness. With water: similar, perhaps more on the dates.
This is what I always think about when I think of Uigeadail: a solid sherry influence over a big Ardbeg. Delicious.
Final Score: 82.
Next is the 2013 which is a sample from nsquare14, and he provided a partial bottle code of L13 058 which means 2013/02/27.
Distillery: Ardbeg
Bottler: Distillery Bottling
Region: Scotland, Islay
ABV: 54.2%
Age: NAS. Bottled on 02/27/2013.
Cask type: Bourbon / Sherry Casks
Natural color. Non-chill-filtered.
Nose: smoke, peat, vanilla, seaweed, wood, toffee, lemon, leather, tobacco, more malt for sure; feels younger, there’s a bit of sherry way under there. With water: similar.
Taste: fatty bacon, peat smoke, sweet lemon, a bit of pepper, tar, a bit of oak. With water: again, similar.
Finish: malty smoke, tar, rope, decent length and a bit shorter than the ’08, mildly drying. With water: mildly drying for sure now.
A fine, smoky Ardbeg but the sherry influence is diminished; I struggle to find it. It’s a bit simpler overall, too, with a few prominent notes dominating. My gut reaction is also that it’s got some much younger spirit in it as well.
Final Score: 77.
Finally the 2015, which I bought and has been in its original bottle ever since even though it’s getting quite low. Bottle code L61747 31/03/2015 15003111 16:21, the new codes need no explanation since the full date is right in there.
Distillery: Ardbeg
Bottler: Distillery Bottling
Region: Scotland, Islay
ABV: 54.2%
Age: NAS. Bottled on 03/31/2015.
Cask type: Bourbon / Sherry Casks
Natural color. Non-chill-filtered.
Nose: smoke, peat, a bit of the sea, wood, caramel, bacon, lemon, a little leather, a bit maltier still. With water: rope, maybe some more tar.
Taste: tarry smoke, light lemon, a bit oily, a bit of pepper, a bit of sea salt. With water: same.
Finish: smoke pops, tarry, malty, a bit of the sea, a bit bitter, smoke fades and it’s more of a bitter tar, not as sweet as the others. With water: basically the same.
I get minimal sherry out of this, and it has distinct bitter notes in the finish that are absent from the other two. It’s a solid Ardbeg, and I’m happy to keep a bottle around, but tasting it next to the others it’s a little bit sad. FWIW, this is our favorite scotch to use when making chocolate truffles.
Final Score: 77.
Comparison
Order: ’08 > ’13 > ’15
A predictable result, what can I say? The ’08 has a clear sherry influence that is wonderful with the rest of it. It’s rich, complex, dark. Sadly it seems that they’ve either been using fewer and/or weaker sherry casks in the mix, and honestly the newer ones seem younger. The ’13 is still better than the ’15 with a bit more complexity, while the ’15 has some bitterness in its shorter finish. For me there’s a clear gap between the ’08 and the other two; I dig the sherry in this.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 
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