[March, 2017]  When Uigeadail was released back in 2003 I found this a great dram and scored it 91 points.  It was simply delicious: very complex in its flavours and aromas and nicely balanced.  So I bought several bottles...

Almost 15 years later I tried a recent edition of Uigeadail and I am totally disappointed.  This is not the Uigeadail I adored.  This is simply weakish, unbalanced and hot stuff with a drying/bitter finish (I guess they use virgin oak in the actual recipe - back in 2003 they would have thrown you out of the distillery if you had proposed such a change, for sure).

So, unfortunately I have to degrade my scoring from 91 points (2003) to not more than 83 points today.

First impression / color / viscosity: Yes, a classic - only the packaging and marketing Blah blah on it enchant me. Of course, the first impression is due to the smoke. Color: saffron / viscosity: very oily run-off Aroma / Nose feeling: Pleasant feeling at the first Verriechen, only light alcoholic stinging (passes). Pleasant smoke that reminds me of a burnt camp fire. Such a campfire on which you sat all night and the next morning even smells like the ashes. Slightly grassy and already very sweet when I smelt, I would also describe the malt. Over time, caramelized lemon peels that blend in harmoniously. Taste / mouthfeel: This sweetness, this freshness, this citrus note - I just love it. At the beginning, the scotch tingles on the tip of the tongue and the oak turns the pepper mill on the inside of the cheeks. As a result, I notice the stunningly chocolaty, creamy mouthfeel with the ubiquitous smoke and superbly incorporated alcohol. With water, the single malt is a perfect treat. Round and sweet, slightly spicy with green wood, vanilla and nut cream. In addition, unripe peach and green grapes and their seeds. Except for the Octomore OBA I could not find this purity, balance and perfection in any other smoker (heavily peated, without majority ex-Sherry Fassreifung). Sure, there are plenty of other good smokers but as here, in the way no one else came into the glass. Finish / aftertaste / Length: A long, sweet finish, which is characterized by the pleasant smoke. The finish also reflects floral and especially refreshing aromas. The Nachschmecken is minimal bitter and a bit sour. I feel like spending a long evening in a smoky bar. Overall impression / comment: I have to admit that I'm not objective here - I just love this malt and all the trappings around it. I even like the progressive marketing of Ardbeg, as it obviously is marketing and I do not have to feel kidding as a customer (in contrast, I hate "back-end marketing"). Well at least regarding flavors / taste: For me (!) This is the best single malt Scotch, which is constantly available and still priced in the (subjectively) affordable framework holds. At least from those I've tasted so far ... Points: 95/100; By the way, the original from 2003 (bottled) got one more point with me ...

I just tried four different Uigeadails (2008, 2011, 2012, and 2016) together and from the comparison it was obvious that this product is on a roughly linear downward trajectory. 2008 was the sherriest, meatiest, and heaviest. 2011 still had many similar things going on, but 2012 was already a deviation with very much reduced sherry sweetness and heavy herbal salts note on top of everything. Compared to the three older ones, the 2016 was a pitiable bottle of almost-new make with yeastiness that couldn't be found from the other ones. I scored the 2008 88 pts., the 2011 87, the 2012 86, and the 2016 84.