Ardbeg Uigeadail

Woah guys... I didn't do a Whiskey Wednesday at last last month. Why did it take so long? Well, I was waiting on a copy of a certain Billy Idol album to coincide with a particular whiskey, which I ultimately didn't end up reviewing... yet.

May I introduce, the Ultimate...
Ardbeg Uigeadail
Single Malt
Ardbeg - Islay, Scotland
109 Proof, 54.5%
$79.99

Ardbeg is, as a few of my loyal readers may know, my current (and thus all-time) favorite Scotch distillery, putting out the magnificent Ardbeg 10 that stole my heart on my first sip. Here we've got a sister expression from the distillery, Ardbeg Uigeadail, which means there are a few variations to the "recipe" that goes into making it that separates the flavor profile from their standard product.

Nose - Charred oak and salted pork with an bit of dried fruits hiding behind the incredible main course. It's almost like eating a hearty meal of potatoes and steak, while still being able to smell the pie cooling on the window sill.

Palette - A blast of sweetness immediately upfront that abruptly gets taken over by peat and smoke. And I'm not talking about the subtle Johnny Black Label smoke that many are used to; This is SMOKE turned up to TWELVE.

Finish - A stinging heat that fades into a very warm fireball that dwells in the chest and makes a few extra hairs grow.

Thoughts - The Uigeadail comes in as what seems to be a more refined version of what the A10 presents; all the flavors seem to be either more pronounced or further rounded. In a side to side comparison, the Uigie does come off a bit more astringent and spiced, the flavor seeming to spike more in specific areas than compared to the 10, which feels slightly more floral and briney. In layman's terms, if the 10 were to provide a punch in the face to a new scotch drinker, the Uigeadail comes up with a handshake and a knife in it's other hand. Is the Uigeadail worth it? Hell yeah, if you're an Islay fan, which I most certainly fall into. But if you don't know what you're doing or not really experienced with Scotch, I'd tell you to stay away from this one until you have a bit more of a diverse palette.