Ardbeg Corryvreckan Vs. Uigeadail

[jimidrammer]

Anyone put these two together for comparison yet? With the new Corry release in the US soon I've been wondering if they're too similar to each other to need both.

[lockejn]

It was my understanding that the Corryvreckan was meant to replace the Airigh Nam Beist. So I would expect it to be somewhat unlike the Uigeadail.

[jimidrammer]

I just thought since Corryvreckan and Uigeadail are both NAS, C/S, sherry influenced and similarly priced ($80) as opposed to Supernova ($130). What sets them apart? More info on the makeup would help. I mean I'll try one when I see it, but we are usually months behind when it comes to actual release dates. I really wish they would have brought the Renaissance 10yo C/S over.

[Reggaeblues]

I had my first and only wee sample of a Corry recently, courtesy of a generous member of staff at the vintage house(spotted it in a wee sample bottle as he was fishing for something for me to try!)

nick's right. It certainly was, erm, robust to say the least! unmistakeably Ardbeg, dark flavours, and I was glad to try it.

I would say the oogie is more sweet and delicate(if you can call any south Islay at cask strength "sweet and delicate"!!), but no less good!

[Drammed]

Corry comes out here on the 31st, so I'll let you know then.

[johan brugge]

In that case I'll beat you to it. I have mine about two weeks now. I'll let you know what I think of it when I get my mind to it.

[johan brugge]

Speaking of good drams. I'm trying the Oogie and the Corry 2009 tonight in comparison. Now this is very interesting.

colour:

Corry = gold
Oogie = just a tad darker (but that really is just a little bit)

nose:

Big difference here. The Oogie starts with a rather sweetish scent, followed by iodine, brine, smoke and peat. There is a big sherry influence for sure if you ask me. The Corry is rather different than that. The first thing I notice is the lack of sherry notes but all the rest is there. Both are certainly Ardbegs.

palate:

As we all know the Oogie is very bold with lots of peat, smoke and some sherry notes again and even a bit fruity. It confirms the nose. This is still a very big whisky. The Corry takes a kick start. Maybe it's the 3 % difference but it's an explosion of the typical Ardbeg flavours. Lots and lots of peat, smoke. It's a rather 'thick' and 'creamy' whisky. It's much more in your face than the Oogie. IMO this needs some time to develop it's more comples flavours. But it's like Michael Jackon once said: it's like standing downwind on the beach next to a BBQ. (I'm talking about the Oogie here.)

finish:

Both are very very long and lingering although the Corry is somewhat more peppery than the Oogie.

Don't ask me which one I prefer. I think both are very good. It all depends on the mood I'm in.

[Willie JJ]

Nice notes Johan. I haven't tried the new Corry, but I didn't think the Committee bottle was much like the Uigeadail.

[johan brugge]

True, it's not like the Oogie although they share the typical Ardbeg ingredients. Especially the nose is quiet different from the Oogie which is continued in the palate.

[Drammed]

Is it like an ANB or 10 yr on steriods or is it something else? I am so running out of patience for the shippment.

[johan brugge]

No, it's more like the ANB on ***load of steroids. Very good stuff, but like I said not a lot of sherry influences.

[Drammed]

Corry comes out tomorrow for me. Does anybody have any other thoughts on these 2 whiskys?

[Drammed]

Here are my notes on my first taste of the Corryvracken....

Opened the Corryvreckan. I actually passed it to my wife before I took a whiff and she almost fell over and nearly dropped the bottle! I knew it was going to be great!

Tasted in a Glencarin with out water

Nose - Woah this is big. Sea air, hint of iodine, citrus, slight tar. I can't stop sniffing.

Mouth - A kick to the junk! Powerful onslaught of you typical Ardbeg flavours, only intensified. No quarter asked or given here. Brine, lemon, hint o vanilla, big tar coming on, slight alcohol.

Finish - Miles long. The peat really comes through, tar, some hints of carmel and lemon zest.

Comment - This stuff is deep. I am sure I am missing a lot of what it has to offer right now. This whisky you could get lost in for a while. It is at cask strength but man it is fantastic without water. I might try some with water later, but for now I am going to enjoy the rest of this without it. It has so much more going on than the regular 10, mainly on the end of the mouth to the finish.

Cheers!

[Drammed]

How close are the commercial and the Committee releases?

Sorry I can not tell you that as I never had any of the Committee.

[Spirit of Islay]

Hi Nick ,
Regarding the differences between the Committee and Standard Bottlings here's what i found......
(Tasting Notes were done seperately but i did do them H-T-H for the Conclusion)

Expression - Ardbeg Corryvreckan (Committee)
ABV - 57.1%
Cask / Bottle No. -
Colour - Polished Copper
Nose - Sweet and Earthy at first , then the peat comes through . Dark Fruits ( Blueberries , Blackberries) and Dark Chocolate ,a gentle Smokiness , Makes the hairs up your nose tingle .
Palate - Very oily , loads of Chocolate , a smooth peatiness with a touch of pepper , very large mouthfeel , Chocolate seems to be the dominating force , luckily it doesn't cover the peatiness. This is a very complex malt , on the second tasting i got Mint Humbugs and on the next tasting i got Cinder Toffee and 1970's Ardbeg Iodine ! Eventually i did get the Dark fruits on the Palate.....in the second Bottle !
Finish - Long , Chewy , peaty , Dark Chocolate , Cocoa . after a while the finish gets Creamy as well .
Comments - It's an oily dram , fantastic mouth coating but what ever casks they have put in here don't hide the distillery characteristics , in fact it seems to emphasise the Chocolate Character , A very balanced Ardbeg if slightly different to the norm but still an Ardbeg ! Probably one of the most complex Ardbegs !

Expression - Ardbeg Corryvreckan (General Release)
ABV - 57.1
Colour - Polished Copper
Nose - Very fruity at first , blueberries , Strong Orange marmalade . The Ardbeg Chocolate eventually appears along with the smoke and a sweet fudginess .
Palate - Very chewy , very oily , luxury dark chocolate , pepper , peat , creamy coffee and Blackberry Jelly .
Finish - Satisfyingly Long ! Peaty and peppery with a hint of Dark fruits and dark chocolate .
Comments - A beautiful addition to the Ardbeg range , very satisfying and moreish ! .

Conclusion - The Committee seems darker , Not a lot of difference between the noses , maybe the committee seems a touch more fruity . On the palate the committee seems to have more Chocolate but the standard seems to flow more gently across it . On the finish the Committee seems to have a bit more kick . Both are really good Ardbegs and i wouldn't like to choose between the two.....just drink both of them !


Reading back through the thread , the Oogie , Corry and ANB are all different beasts , the Oogie is more influenced by the sherry casks (the new batch is the best since the original one IMO) , the Corry is influenced by the French wine casks (Matured and not finished as someone on another Board , who should know better , Said ! ) and the ANB is pure ex-bourbon . The last batch of the ANB (18yo) was heading towards the same profiles of the legendary 1970's stuff in my opinion , leaving the peatiness and heading towards the Ardbeg Iodine .

Nick you're right about the Citrus in the ex-bourbon , the 1992 Single Cask 772 was really lemony whereas the new stuff just has a touch of it nicely balanced in the equation .
Which do i prefer ? well i keep going back to the 10yo , especially the Renaissance , i think it is everything that Ardbeg should be .
But then again every Ardbeg has its redeeming features , The Oogie has the smokiness , the Corry has the fruitiness , the last festival bottlings have a uniqueness of the toasted oak . I'm hoping that at some point Ardbeg will release some of the newer Sherry casks on their own rather than put them in the Oogie because the 1998 one's i've tried have been stunning .
Just keep em Ardbegs Coming !