A bonanza of new bottlings

[Kate]

The whisky industry is gearing up for the festive season, and we’re being spoilt as a result. Here we select some of the more exciting releases.
*A new expression of Ardbeg is set to open the whisky up to a new range of consumers. Uigeadal, pronounced Oog –a –dall, is named after the place where water is sourced for Ardbeg. The bottling combines a cask strength whisky with an ABV of 54.2% with sweet notes. The resulting drink is a strong whisky that doesn’t taste strong and an Ardbeg that does and doesn’t taste like the distillery’s more standard expressions.
* Following the recent release of a whisky matured in Burgundy wood, Glenmorangie has further expanded its range. Its new one is Madeira matured.
* Adding to the growing range of wood finished whiskies newly available will also be the Glenlivet French Oak finish 1983, matured in casks of Limousin oak. See the tastings on Page 66.
*Bruichladdich has some particularly exciting new whisky in the form of Celtic Heartlands – a range of limited edition whiskies specially selected by master distiller Jim McEwan to mark his 40th year in the whisky business. The collection opens with three single malts: Bowmore 1968, Highland Park 1967, and Macallan 1968
*Inver House’s latest bottlings also commemorate the career of an employee – the company’s blends manager Eddie Drummond. Two rare malts from Glen Flager and Killyloch distilleries, which both ceased production in 1986 – have been released to coincide with Eddie’s retirement. Eddie’s career was inextricably linked to these lowland malts and the limited editions will carry the last labels to be signed by Eddie. Glen Flagler will retail at £450 a bottle and Killyloch at £950.
* Fans of Highland Park will be delighted by its latest special edition. Highland Park Capella honours the 60th anniversary since the creation of the remarkable Italian Chapel on Orkney- where the distillery is based.
* While not new on the market, some popular whiskies are expanding into new territories. Suntory has released their Hakushu 12 year-old into the United Kingdom market and Burn Stewart Distillers is launching Islay blend Black Bottle 10 year-old in France.

[Eladra]

About the new Ardbeg's Uigeadal - maybe it is me but I didn't get the idea - the cask strength whisky I understand but what about the sweet notes? where that comes from (an add in?) I don't remember any sweetness in my Ardbegs...Or that's just a new liqueur?

Thx
Elad.

PS
I kind of new in this forum. It looks great!

[Spirit of Islay]

Hi Eladra ,
There is a sweetness running through Ardbeg (Due to the purifier on the spirit still?) , Michael and Dave pick up on it regularly in their reviews . I've always found a slight sweetness which goes along nicely with the peat/smoke/iodine .
Slainté
Gordon

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[Ash]

The Glenlivet French Oak is not that new. I think its been around for about 6 months now? I didnt think it was a patch on their 18yo anyway.

[Admiral]

I'm not sure I understand either...

Is the new Ardbeg a single cask bottling, or is it a vatting of several casks? Presumably, this would then explain the sweetness - they've vatted bourbon casks with sherry casks to add sweetness to the equation.

Anybody know?

[hpulley]

I always taste some sweetness in Ardbegs too, even in single bourbon cask bottlings (recent example, Murray&McDavid 9yo '91). Don't know where it comes from but I am often thinking sherry cask when it is bourbon with Ardbeg for some reason.

Harry

[Spirit of Islay]

The Uigeadail is a vatting of 1990 , 1993 and "Old" sherry casks , fair enough the "sweetness" in that bottling could be explained by that but the 10yo Standard bottling doesn't have sherry in it and that has a sweetness about it as does several other none sherried Ardbegs .As Harry points out it's in I.B.'s as well so it's probably something to do with the process rather than the maturation .
Slainté
Gordon

[Eightball]

Hi everyone,
Spirit of Islay did you say Uigeadail had "old" sherry notes to it? I can imagine a smoky Islay with hints of sherry in it. Wonderful. Ardbeg also, through the Ardbeg club were offering something called "Very Young Ardbeg." I tried to buy one but since I live in the states they couldn't ship it. They asked me for an alternate address in the UK.

[Admiral]

Eightball,

The term "old" sherry casks is probably used because the distillery was closed in the early-mid 1980's. It re-opened briefly around 1989 (I think), and then closed again before getting a new lease of life from Glenmorangie PLC in 1999.

Accordingly, their inventory of maturing casks has quite a few gaps in it. Anything referred to as "old" probably means it comes from before the distillery was first shut down in the early 80's.

Cheers,
Admiral

[Eightball]

Admiral.
That would explain the sweetness. Although I haven't tried Ardbeg Uigeadal, I have tried a similar expression...Lagavulin 16? Very smooth and sherry sweet with a smokey nose.

Has anyone heard about a new Glenmorangie with a Burgundy wood finish? It should be out in May.

FYI, If anyone is looking for a great lowland dram with sherry, there is one of my favorites lurking around. Auchentoshan Three Wood is outstanding- ten years in bourbon wood, a year in Oloroso, and six months in Pedro Ximinez. It has a hint of smoke, and is not like most other Lowlander's (It's heavy and smooth).

[Spirit of Islay]

Hi ,
The term old sherry casks is used because they vatted in "old sherry casks" to the mix ! Probably mid 1970's sherry casks but only those at the distillery/Glenmorangie know !
By the way it's nothing like Lagavulin 16 at all , it's not that sherried and sweet.