Ardbeg Uigeadail 70cl 54.2°

Distillery : Ardbeg / Country : Scotland / Reference: : 20707

This whisky has received a gold medal for the category Best Single Malt Scotch whiskies No Age statement (NAS) at the World Whiskies Awards 2021.

Ardbeg Uigeadail develops at least two essential features: it is a 54.2° combination of at least 10 Year-Old un-chillfiltered whiskies, this Single Malt being composed of a malt aged in Bourbon barrels combined with an older malt aged in Sherry casks.

The "Uigeadail" name underlines Ardbeg's peaty character, as it is the name of the Loch from which the water is drawn for the malt elaboration. This water comes from a few miles off the distillery and takes its peaty character  meandering in the peatlands where it absorbs various herbal aromas.

The other feature of Uigeadail highlights the masterful know-how of Ardbeg Cellar Masters, as the combination of such peaty malts with the sherried fruitness is a tricky task, even risky such the aromatic styles are different.

The result is remarkable, fascinating, as the fruitiness matches perfectly the peaty smoke without muffling it.

84,90 € tax incl.

soit 121,29 € / litre

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Features
Volume0.7 L
Net Weight0.7 kg
ABV54.2 °
TypeSingle malt
DistilleryArdbeg
CountryScotland
RegionIslay
Age10 years
MaturationBourbon & Sherry
PeatHeavily Peated
CharacteristicsCask Strength & Non-Chill Filtered
PackagingCase
Reference:20707

The mythical distillery of Islay resumed its activities in 1997 after a long break. Located on the South-East coast of the Isle of Islay (South-West Scotland), the Ardbeg distillery (“small headland” in Gaelic) was officially established in 1815, when whisky became legal in Scotland. But the location had been known to hide “smugglers” for decades, clandestine distillers who crafted the best malts. The clandestine still of Ardbeg was set up in 1794.


A special kind of chemistry


Located a few miles away from the beautiful Celtic Kildalton Cross, Ardbeg is one of the last remaining “Kildalton distilleries”. Just like Laphroaig and Lagavulin, it is constantly battered by the winter storms that hit the south coast of the island.


A rare fact in Scotland, Ardbeg had always owned a malt-house with a specific feature: the malt drying towers weren’t equipped with ventilators. Hence, the peat smoke was even more concentrated during barley roasting. The malting areas have been operating until 1977. If the malt-house is no more in use today, the Ardbeg distillers impose the same standards to their malt suppliers. The water used by the distillery is extremely pure and also peated, as it comes from the Loch Uigeadail owned by the distillery. As the cellars sit by the sea, close by the quayside, they are laden with the iodized sea breeze.


The incredibly peated and smoky character of Ardbeg Single Malt originates also from the malts used in the whisky making, offering great concentration of phenolic substances. Above all, the malt has been enhanced by the distillery’s specific device, as the stills are equipped with a “rectifier” located at the top of the column. This device rejects only the heaviest elements that return in the vat, and keeps only the lightest vapours, with the most refined and powerful flavours. This is why all of Arbdeg Single Malts are characterized with this elegant peated body which is nowhere to be found but here, in Ardbeg. Ardbeg has been, for a long time, the most peated Islay malt.


Ardbeg rises again


At the end of the 1970’s, the Ardbeg distillery, property of the MacDougall family since its foundation, had a tumultuous history with several periods of closure as the owners change. This explains why Ardbeg Single Malts became scarce on the market. But when Glenmorangie purchased the distillery in 1997, Ardbeg rose again.


Stocks preserved on site were rediscovered, the iconic 10 year-old Ardbeg Single Malt with its black label, distilled when the production started in 1989, is launched, and the production increased tremendously as of 1997, marked by the release of many new exceptional malts.


Ardbeg became recognized as a rare and unique distillery, within a few years, thanks to the knowledge of Bill Lumsden, Master Distiller and creator, which rebuilt Ardbeg’s and made it an iconic brand famous in the whisky world. Innovations, experiments and limited series fostered renewed enthusiasm amongst collectors and fans, as shown by the tremendous echo surrounding each limited edition releases on Ardbeg Day, celebrated worldwide on the last Fèis Ile Saturday. After Ardbeg Day 2012, Ardbog 2013, Auriverdes 2014, Perpetuum 2015 that marked the 200 years anniversary of the distillery, fans are delighted with the arrival of Ardbeg Dark Cove, celebrating the smuggling past of Ardbeg, heritage of the history of how Ardbeg truly began…

Colour: deep and deep golden.

Nose: marked by smoke, with a nice fruity richness (dates, raisins). With a little water, the honeyed character develops further.

Palate: it is first the softness that settles, with notes of caramel and creamy honey, and also candied fruit, Christmas pudding. Then the smoked flavours (smoked salmon or grilled meat) are revealed in the background, without ever hiding the first fruity notes. With a very good balance, the exchange between the two families of aromas takes place permanently, offering a surprising complexity and a renewed pleasure for the taster.

Finish: very long, remains in the same complexity, in a great general sweetness.

89 points, Bronze Medal in the Peaty Single Malt Scotcsh Whisky category, International Wine & Spirit Competition 2023.

Winner of the Best Islay Single Malt no age statement category, World Whiskies Awards 2022.

Gold Medal, Best Single Malt Scotch whiskies No Age statement (NAS), World Whiskies Awards 2021

Silver Medal, Best Single Malt Scotch whiskies No Age statement (NAS), World Whiskies Awards 2019

Silver Medal, Outstanding, International Wine & Spirit Competition 2013

94/100 Excellent, Highly Recommended, Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2013

"Best Single Malt in the World of the Year 2009" by Jim Murray, author of The Whisky Bible.