My husband John is a frequent traveller. Recently, he brought home the Ardbeg Smoketrails Manzanilla edition of Islay single malt whisky. On his way back to the island, he picked it up at ORT airport.
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LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton commonly known as LVMH, is a French holding multinational corporation and conglomerate specializing in luxury goods, headquartered in Paris, France. They own various perfumes, cosmetics and fashion lines and also the following distilleries and whisky brands:
Ardbeg Distillery
Glenmorangie Distillery
Hennessy cognac
Belvedere Vodka
This week, we’re having another Islay peat battle: Ardbeg Uigeadail vs Lagavulin 16 year old whisky. Both these single malt Scotch drams achieved cult status with peat heads. The Ardbeg Uigeadail is one of John’s favourite drams. So, to ensure we remained unbiased, we blind-tasted them.
Exploring whisky side by side to understand the nuances and differences makes for a fun weekend activity.
Ardbeg Uigeadail whisky
Peaty Ardbeg has unquestionably earned its status as a cult favourite globally in recent years. Whisky enthusiasts eagerly anticipate each Ardbeg Day to see what exciting whisky the master distillery has for them.
The name Uigeadail derives from the Scotch Gaelic for ‘Dark and Mysterious Place’ and is named for the Loch from which Ardbeg draws its peat-laden waters. The Ardbeg distillery and the Glenmorangie distillery are part of the Louis Vuitton stable.
The distillery launched this award-winning expression around 2003. It is non-chill-filtered and matured in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon barrels. The Uigeadail Islay single malt Scotch whisky has a peat level of around 50 ppm. It is a NAS release.
Lagavulin 16 year old whisky
Lagavulin is a historic distillery with centuries-old roots in a picturesque bay along Islay’s south coast. The name “Lagavulin” translates from Gaelic to “Lag a’ Mhuilinn,” meaning the hollow of the mill.
Lagavulin was one of the six whiskies marketed as part of the Diageo’ Classic Malts of Scotland’ range. The others include Cragganmore, Oban and Talisker whisky.
Lagavulin Distillery is known for its slow distillation speed and pear-shaped pot stills. The Lagavulin 16 year old single malt Scotch whisky is peated to 35 ppm.
Ardbeg Uigeadail vs Lagavulin 16 yo whisky
| Ardbeg Uigeadail | Lagavulin 16 yo | |
|---|---|---|
| ABV | 54.2% | 43% |
| Region | Islay Whisky | Islay Whisky |
| Peat Level | 55 to 65 ppm | 35 ppm |
| Colour | Light amber | Dark Gold |
| Nose | Bold peat, smoke, iodine, and medicinal notes. Raisins, hints of honey and spice follow in the background. | Liquorice, smoke, hints of peat with a fruity sweetness. Bits of oak, iodine, and vanilla. Delicate and balanced. |
| Palate | A big and bold mouthful whisky. Peat, drying ash and smoke fill your mouth. Notes of sherry and Christmas cake mixed with honey and dark chocolate. | Dry oak, peat with hints of cherry sweetness and smoke. Medium body with iodine and tar and a fruity sweetness. |
| Finish | Long and lingering. Raisins and honey, pepper and espresso. | Medium length with peat and hints of smoke, oak and vanilla. |
| My Rating | Excellent | Very Good |
| Comments | Complex and well balanced | Lacks some complexity and has a few sharp edges. |
| Price | $67 / £51 | $74 / £58 |
| Pairs well with | Fresh oysters, sashimi | Blue Stilton or Roquefort cheese |
As we uncork these two formidable drams, both are memorable and robust. They are not suitable for novice whisky drinkers. Each delivers the quintessential Islay experience with potent peat, iodine notes, and smoke.
The first difference between these two Islay drams is the peat level. The Uigeadail is peated at 55 ppm, and the Lagavulin is peated at 35 ppm .
The Lagavulin peaty notes are slightly more medicinal, while the Ardbeg has more seaweed, salt and fishy notes.
The Lagavulin 16 year old Scotch brings notes of dry oak, iodene, cherries and vanilla. It is peaty with smoke and fruity sweetness. It has a wonderful nose, a medium body and a medium-length finish.
The Ardbeg Uigeadail offers fruitier notes and a sweeter profile balanced with bold peat, smoke and a touch of seaweed and salt. It has notes of old leather, espresso, Christmas cake, and dark chocolate.
Ardbeg is less medicinal than Laphroaig. However, it is more balanced and complex. The Lagavulin displayed a few rough edges and didn’t quite live up to its nose’s promise of impeccable balance.
The best thing about the Uigeadail vs Lagavun 16 whisky comparison is the difference in finish. The finish on the Uigeadail is long and complex, warming your soul with lingering smoke, pepper, and raisins.
Also Read: Bulleit Bourbon vs Bulleit Rye Whiskey
It was with great fanfare that Ardbeg launched an extension to their core range – Ardbeg An Oa Islay single malt Scotch whisky. The first permanent expression to join the Ardbeg core range since Corryvreckan in 2009.
The rest of the core range include Ardbeg 10 yo and Ardbeg Uigeadail whisky. Ardbeg and Glenmorangie is part of the LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) company, and they are a great marketing company.
I was somewhat sceptical about this new release. I have been less impressed lately by the Ardbeg Day releases. Was this another premium-priced release that does not live up to the hype? In the run-up to the release of the An Oa, a rather corny video was released called ” Whisky Whispers”, about a new release coming.
Also Read: Lagavulin Distillers Edition 1994 whisky
The distillery named this release after the Mull of Oa in the south-west of Islay. The Mull offers the Kildaton some protection from the worst the Atlantic storms, and it forms the most southerly point of Islay. Maturation of Ardbeg An Oa whisky takes place in a combination of casks including PX, spicy charred virgin oak and ex-bourbon.
Then this is all married together in Dr. Bill Lumsden’s new French oak ‘gathering vat’. Ardbeg An Oa is non-chill filtered. However, the important question is, what does it taste like?
Ardbeg An Oa Islay Whisky Review
REGION: Islay
ABV: 46.6%
COLOUR: Light Gold
NOSE: Peat, creamy honey, salted liquorice with hints of cough syrup. In the middle sweet vanilla floats about mingling with bits of toasted nuts and pine needles. It’s a fascinating and glorious mix of aromas. It’s complicated, subtle and different all at once. Faint smoke lurks around.
PALATE: Ash, peat, soft honey, sweet vanilla and cinnamon sugar, hints of chocolate and toasted oak. Faint traces of lemon pepper. The An Oa has a big mouthfeel, and it’s smooth and velvety on the palate. Water softens the few rough edges and adds more sweetness. But I finished my first glass without water; it was so good. I had to pour a second glass just to test.
FINISH: Smoothly with a long and lingering finish that hug and comfort you like a favourite jersey. Filled with sweetness and bits of nut.
RATING: DIVINE
The Ardbeg An Oa whisky is not the salty, TCP and strong tar pole notes of an Ardbeg Uigeadail, but a softer, more classic version of it. To me, the Uigeadail is the sea hardened old fisherman with salt in his bones. The An Oa is his daughter that just turned 21.
Sea weathered from living next to the sea, but more feminine and softer and filled with hopes and dreams of things that do not include the ocean and fish. But she will always come back to the fisherman’s cottage, as deep down the sea is still calling.
It is seldom that we finish a bottle. Even bottles that are easily replaceable like the Ardbeg 10 yo take a while for us to finish. This bottle of Ardbeg An Oa whisky is DONE – within four months of buying the bottle. If that does not translate into DIVINE, I don’t know what does!
I asked the question on Instagram Stories – Is this worth the hype, and it seems like most people agree. The Ardbeg An Oa single malt whisky is undoubtedly worth it!
This whisky made it into my Whisky of the Year . See what happened when we blind tested all the Divine rated drams for 2018. I have also done a side by side comparison between the An Oa and the Ardbeg Uigeadail. See which one was my favourite.
During 2020 Ardbeg released a new addition to the core range, the Ardbeg Wee Beastie 5 year old whisky.
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In the world of peaty whiskies, the battle of the Titans takes centre stage today as we delve into the intriguing matchup of the Ardbeg Corryvreckan vs Uigeadail Islay single malt Scotch whisky. These two expressions from the renowned Ardbeg distillery are not for the faint of heart.
Deciding a favourite between them might be challenging. Ardbeg, hailed as a bastion for bold, peated, and complex whiskies, has garnered a cult following, especially among peat enthusiasts.
The Ardbeg distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery on the south coast of the isle of Islay. The distillery is part of the Louis Vuitton stable, that also includes the Glenmorangie distillery.
All the malt for Ardbeg is peated to a level of 50ppm. There have been no floor maltings at Ardbeg since 1981, so all the malt that is used in production comes from the maltings in the village of Port Ellen.
I have examined the difference between the Ardbeg 10 year old and An Oa, and there are pronounced differences. The differences between the Uigeadail and the Corryvreckan seem less clear in my individual tasting notes.
The Corryvreckan and Uigeadail are part of the Ardbeg core range together with the An Oa and the Ardbeg 10 year old whisky.
However, today, I shine the spotlight on the Ardbeg Corryvreckan and Uigeadail whiskies from their core range, exploring the nuances that set them apart.
Ardbeg Corryvreckan Whisky
Let’s kick off our expedition with the Corryvreckan Islay single malt Scotch whisky, often regarded as the embodiment of the untamed spirit of Islay. Released in 2008 to succeed Airigh Nam Beist, this non-chill-filtered dram takes its name from the notorious whirlpool north of Islay.
Matured in a blend of French oak and Burgundy wine casks, the Corryvreckan Islay single malt Scotch whisky is a non-age statement (NAS) release. It has a peat level ranging between 50-55 ppm.
Ardbeg Uigeadail Whisky
On the opposing side, we have the Uigeadail Islay single malt Scotch whisky. The name derived from the Scottish Gaelic for ‘dark and mysterious place’. It pays homage to the loch that provides Ardbeg with its peat-laden waters.
Launched around 2003, this award-winning expression is non-chill-filtered and matured in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon barrels. The Uigeadail Islay single malt Scotch whisky has a peat level of around 50 ppm.
Ardbeg Corryvreckan vs Uigeadail Whisky
| Ardbeg Corryvreckan | Ardbeg Uigeadail |
|
|---|---|---|
| Region | Islay Whisky | Islay Whisky |
| ABV | 57.3% | 54.2% |
| Colour | Dark amber | Light amber |
| Nose | Peat even at a distance. Earthy peat, smoke and sea salt come through. There are medicinal notes with some creamy butter, hints of sweetness, pepper, and leather. | Peat hits you like a wet cloth in the face. Smoke, iodine, and medicinal notes will follow soon after. Raisins, hints of honey and spice follow in the background. |
| Palate | At first, it tastes like having a peat bog in your mouth. The initial notes are followed by liquorice and vanilla. There are smoke, tar and medicinal notes mixed with ash and wood. This whisky is wonderfully smooth with hints of salt, lemon pepper and a little fresh fruit. | A big and bold. Peat, drying ash and smoke fill your mouth. Notes of sherry and Christmas cake mixed with honey and dark chocolate. |
| Finish | Long and lingering. There are notes of fishy peat, spice, pepper and toffee. Oak and vanilla float about. Smoke and salt at the finish. | Long and lingering. Raisins and honey, pepper and espresso. Along the way, it evolves in complexity and richness and continues long after you have swallowed. |
| My Rating | Divine | Excellent |
| Price | £61 | £51 |
As we uncork these two formidable drams, both are memorable and robust. They definitely are not suitable for novice whisky drinkers. Each delivers the quintessential Islay experience with potent peat, iodine notes, and a symphony of smoke, ash, and wood. Despite their high alcohol by volume (ABV), neither succumbs to overpowering alcohol heat.
The Ardbeg Corryvreckan showcases a more traditional Islay influence. It echoes the ocean with notes of seaweed, sea salt, and wet fishy peat. Bold smoke and hints of lemon pepper dance on the palate, creating captivating flavours.
In contrast, the Uigeadail takes a different route, offering fruitier notes and a sweeter profile with a touch of medicinal peat. Old leather, espresso, Christmas cake, and dark chocolate come together harmoniously. Its elegance is apparent without compromising on the inherent boldness of Islay peat.
Personal taste plays a pivotal role in the subjective world of whisky preferences. For some, the Corryvreckan’s in-your-face boldness and pronounced peat might be the pinnacle of Islay perfection.
On the flip side, the Uigeadail, with its more refined and elegant character, captures the hearts of those seeking a sweeter, sherry-influenced experience.
Personally, the Ardbeg Uigeadail resonated more with my palate, thanks to its delightful sherry notes. In John’s case, the Corryvreckan emerged victorious. He enjoyed the bolder, medicinal nuances it offered.
The beauty of this showdown lies in the diversity of flavours. It shows that there’s an Ardbeg for every discerning whisky lover. Whether you lean towards the untamed seas of the Corryvreckan or the dark mysteries of the Uigeadail, one thing is sure – Ardbeg has once again proven its prowess in crafting exceptional peated whiskies.
I have done a side by side comparison between the Ardbeg Uigeadail and Lagavulin 16 year old whisky as well to see how they measure against each other.
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There is a new Beastie in town! Ardbeg Wee Beastie 5 year old Islay single malt Scotchwhisky is the latest expression to join the Ardbeg distillery’s permanent range. Barely three years after the launch of the Ardbeg An Oa whisky, the Wee beastie is the youngest Ardbeg in the permanent range.
In Scotland, a ‘wee beastie’ is any small and irritating insect. It references the Robert Burns poem about a timid little field mouse.
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The Ardbeg Wee Beastie whisky has been matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks. Comparatively, the Ardbeg 10 yo was mainly aged in ex-Bourbon casks.
The Wee Beastie whisky, at 5 years old, is half the age of the standard Ardbeg 10 year old release. Beasite retails for around £34 on Amazon . The Ardbeg 10 yo retails for £46 on Amazon. I wonder if the small price difference with the 10 yo whisky does not make the Wee Beastie a bit expensive. For an extra £12, you can get a delicious dram that is 10 years old. Is the Wee Beastie worth the price?
Ardbeg Wee Beastie 5 year old Whisky Review
REGION: Islay
ABV: 47.3%
COLOUR: Bright Gold
NOSE: Big and bold recognizable Ardbeg with seaweed, green herbal notes, bits of peat and medicinal notes mixed with coffee, smoky bacon and a soft fruity sweetness. Ripe baked apples, vanilla sugar with bits of burnt toast. Not the most complex nose, but intriguing enough to want to explore more.
PALATE: Peat and smoke with dark chocolate. Bits of fruity antiseptic lozenges with ash and salt. Green grass, bits of citrus and fruit sweetness with damp earth and oaky bits. Big and bold but with the sharp edges of a young whisky. There are none of the marine notes you find in the Corryvreckan or Uigeadail; the Beastie also has a softer iodine profile.
Water softens the sharp edges a bit. I finished my first glass without water. So I had to have a second glass to check. Carefully add water, despite the young profile and higher ABV, water dampens down the peat smoke if you add too much.
FINISH: Short compared to the Ardbeg 10 year old and not as complex. Hints of smoke and salt, bits of lemon pepper.
RATING: EXCELLENT
It might be a Wee Beastie; however, it is a small version of a big animal. The whisky shows all the big, bold promise of Ardbeg, but in a rawer format. It would be an excellent introduction to Islay peat for a whisky lover.
I do think it is a bit expensive when compared to the 10 year old release. However, it is a fun expression to have that shows the impact of time and wood on the Ardbeg spirit.
It makes for a fun side by side with the older brother and even with the Ardbeg An Oa. Go and give it a try and let me know what you think.
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