Ardbeg Tasting: Airigh Nam Beist 1990 & Uigeadail

 

It's been awhile since we tried the Ardbegs and we were in the mood for something punchy that evening. We had 2 interesting ones in the collection that were waiting to be opened, an Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist 1990, which the distillery calls 'Ardbeg Ice Cream' and the Ardbeg Uigeadail, which won Jim Murray's Whisky of the Year Awards in 2009.

THE REVIEW

Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist 1990: The usual powerful Ardbeg smokiness blends nicely with creamy vanilla notes with a hint of cashews and an oily finish. Solid!

Ardbeg Uigeadail: A full flavoured Ardbeg infused with sweet honey and caramel overtones. Nicely balancing the Ardbeg with sherry casks!

Ardbeg 10 Year

Ardbeg is another Islay whisky that is popular with most whisky lovers. They boldly proclaim to be the ‘Greatest Distillery on Earth’ on their website (www.ardbeg.com) and is well regarded in the Whisky World. We are quite excited about this one so let’s get down to it.

The Sample

The Review

Comments: This whisky really hits you hard like a crashing wave and makes no apologies about it. The salty tang, iodine seaweed flavour and the powerful smokey, oily peat combination makes any newcomer to whisky do an about turn and politely decline this beast of a dram (yes, this has happened on more than one occasion when a whiff of the pungent aroma was enough to make them run back to Johnny Walker!). Did I forget to mention that it is non-chill filtered to give it an extra 'oomph'? One of our favourite whiskies where we admire it's audacious but yet balanced taste. Slainte!