Name: Ardbeg Uigeadail
Type: Whiskey (Single Malt Scotch)
Origin: Islay, Scotland
ABV: 54.2%
Price: $64.99 from my local Total Wine and Spirits
With the review of the Wee Beastie done a few weeks ago, I was reminded once again of the Ardbeg Uigeadail and lack of a review on it. Ardbeg, for those who are not as familiar with Scottish whiskey, hails from the island of Islay. Scotches from Islay typically have the oily, smoky and peaty characteristics that fans of it go crazy for. The second question raised to me in one of the music groups I am in was “What kind of scotch do you like and do you like Islay scotch?” Obviously, these kind of scotches do not appeal to everyone and that is just fine. However, giving a guesstimate that 95% of you reading are cigar smokers, Islay scotch is in my opinion one of the perfect pairings for a cigar. And Uigeadail is one of my favorite scotches, both by itself and with a cigar.
Ardbeg describes the color on the Uigeadail as “deepest gold”. I haven’t compared this to the Wee Beastie that I reviewed a few weeks ago but I would assume that the Uigeadail has a darker gold hue. The nose on this whiskey has a much stronger peat and smoke to it than the Wee Beastie. The opening flavor on not quite as sweet as the previously-mentioned Wee Beastie. The differences between the two begin to show once the whiskey starts making its way to the latter part of the palette. This is where the heavy peat, smoke and that ‘medicinal burn’ as non-whiskey drinkers call it starts to shine through. I also get touches of spice in the back of the throat. To top it off, that smoke and peat has an extra long finish on the palette, something that not everyone will appreciate.
Unless you are smoking a full-bodied cigar, the Uigeadail will be the focal point of your palette with everything else as a companion to it. And having been an Uigeadail drinker for many years, I have had the opportunity to smoke numerous cigars with this whiskey. The whiskey wins the flavor war nearly every time.
As for pricing and value for the Uigeadail, I believe that benchmark. It’s more expensive than the Wee Beastie but it also more flavorful and complex than it too. Without getting into the Committee bottlings or other select offerings throughout the year, it’s generally easy to source a bottle for what I believe to be more than a fair value. And being at 54.2% ABV, you will likely not be going through this bottle at a quick clip. You honestly can not go wrong if this is the kind of flavor profile you want in your whiskey. If you are a little uneasy at the amount of smoke and peat I described with the Uigeadail, try the Wee Beastie as a less expensive entry point into Islay scotch.
Final Score: 9.5/10
Thank you very much for reading and I look forward to the next time I can share my thoughts with you.
