Another Uigeadailb question...

Wills: Hey Ray looking at the bottle code, what Julian day is 331?

Raymond: November 7th...definitely November 7,2012

Seriously, it was L12 331 13:30 5ML.

@Bigtuna thanks for the bottle code info

I will keep an eye out for a bottle

@Bigtuna Just joined up and noted your comments about not liking the strong peaty stuff a couple of years back. Rings true to me. One of my first bottles of Scotch was gifted to me by a loved one. It was Lagavulin 16. I took one sip of it and didn't touch the bottle again for two years. It was overwhelming. The other gifted bottle was Glenlivet 12 which was much more approachable. After a couple of years and trying things I think my tastes changed and now the bigger flavors and higher strengths are quit appealing. Weird how that happens. I have read some about the biology of smell/taste and I am convinced that sometimes pathways in the brain sort of change as they are accustomed to whatever your drinking. The Uigeadail certainly is superb and I am enjoying a dram as I type this. Glad to hear you like your purchase. Aberlour is certainly a fine bit of whisky as well. Has some sentimental value to me as I was gifted a bottle of Batch 38 by my college buds for the birth of my first son. Man I have some great friends/family...

So Bigtuna,

How was the A'Bunadh 44? I opened mine the day after my 44th birthday. Nice treat. Specially with people to share it with.

I loved Ardbeg 10 at the first sip, but I have been drinking single malt since 1983. Some bottles of 10 are outstanding, but even the most disappointing are very good. If you find an exceptional one, run back to the store and buy them all. I searched all the store in town for one and still have one bottle left, saving it for an exceptional occasion.

Other than that, I actually prefer Corryvrecken and Laga 12 (92 pts) over all others. I like Oogie about the same as Laga 16 and HP.18 (90 pts). The "special" bottle of Ardbeg 10 I'd give 92.5-93. It sends chills up my spine!

@Taco What is the batch number of your beloved Ardbeg Ten? I have come across a fantastic batch L11 194 03:21 6ML (I managed to pick up a sister bottle from next day L11 195 14:19 6ML) I am betting they are from the same vatting. This particular batch is head and shoulders above others in recent memory. I just opened a bottle of L13 003 09:21 6ML. Not bad, but no where near the L11 194.

Let's not forget that Uigeadail started out as an older whisky than it is now. Yes, it has changed. And, yes, it used to be older and better. It's still quite good, but it used to be better.

@rigmorole I am trying to collect as many Uigeadail samples simply to put to rest the idea that the older ones were necessarily better. I have bottles from 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 (3 of them), and 2013. There were initially 2 releases per year that made it to the US (where I can get my hands on them). 2009 seems to only have had one batch make it to the US. Since 2010 there are usually 3 batches per year destined for the USA.

My thesis is that most of the batches were really good. Some were outstanding. And a few have been disappointing. I have already had one session tasting 6 batches at one time. I am trying to create a second session with a few "bench mark" batches for some consistency.

If anyone can help me out with some batch samples I would appreciate it. Let me know

@Nock No 2012 bottles?