FAQS
IS YOUR FISH FARMED OR WILD?
Uig Lodge is committed to the sustainability of wild salmon and sea trout stocks and we strongly believe the practice of netting wild salmon and sea trout should be left in the past. Scotland’s wild salmon and sea trout stocks face many challenges and it is therefore our priority to help maintain and enhance stocks within Scotland. We can only achieve this by smoking farmed fish and encouraging conservation measures such as ‘catch and release’ on our own river, which leaves the river many hundreds of thousands of eggs better off at the end of each season.
In the Uig Lodge smokery, we use only the finest quality farmed fish from sustainable and RSPCA accredited fish farms. As per any industry, there are always those who are doing a better job than others and fish farming is no exception. Some salmon farms have earned a bad reputation for the poor standards which they set, which in turn produce a poor quality fish, resulting in poor quality smoked salmon. We realise however that the quality of our smoked salmon and sea trout relies heavily on the quality of the fresh fish we start with. This is something we would therefore never compromise on and for this reason we only use what we consider to be the best fish farms in Scotland. The pure, cool, fast flowing waters of the North Atlantic provide an ideal environment for the nurturing of firm fleshed, lean fish and Uig is careful to select only the very finest for smoking.
The RSPCA accreditation has very high environmental and fish welfare standards which ensure the fresh fish reach us in the best possible condition. For more information please visit our main fresh salmon supplier, Wester Ross, at www.wrs.co.uk where you can find detailed information about their setup. If fish farms act responsibly and to a high ethical standard, not only will they produce a higher quality fish, but they will also help to provide invaluable long term protection of the dwindling wild salmon and sea trout stocks.
HOW IS YOUR SMOKED SALMON MADE?
Uig Lodge smoked salmon is made using only prime Scottish Atlantic salmon from RSPCA accredited farms. We are the first to realise that the quality of our smoked salmon is hugely dependent on the quality of the fresh salmon we start with, so this is something we would never compromise on. During the smoking process each fish is treated independently and even the prevailing weather conditions are taken into consideration. It is these small yet crucial details, together with the fact that we only use the finest possible fresh fish, that put Uig Lodge smoked salmon head and shoulders above the mass produced smoked salmon that is too readily available nowadays.
At Uig Lodge the whole process is done entirely by hand, beginning with the filleting of the whole salmon. The fresh fillets are then cured in salt for several hours, washed and then placed into the kiln. When dry, the pure oak chips are lit and then smoulder away, releasing the wonderful aroma that gives that distinct traditional flavour. The resulting perfectly balanced smoky taste and succulent, mouth watering texture is largely due to the skill and dedication of our smokery team. They will not divulge the intricacies of their recipes, but emphasizes that ‘simplicity’ is the key!
HOW IS YOUR HOT SMOKED SEA TROUT MADE?
Our sea trout are also sourced from the best farms available (see above). We tend to use a brine cure (rather than dry salting which we use for our salmon) and then smoke the trout at a much higher temperature than for our smoked salmon. This results in a smoky, yet cooked fillet with a delicious flaky texture.
HOW LONG DO YOUR SMOKED PRODUCTS KEEP AND CAN I FREEZE THEM?
Our smoked salmon and sea trout will keep happily in a fridge for up to 3 weeks, or alternatively you can freeze them for up to 4 months. Once opened they should be eaten within 3 days.
WHERE CAN I BUY UIG LODGE PRODUCTS AND ARE THEY AVAILABLE IN SHOPS?
You can of course buy our smoked salmon on this website. It is also available in selected retailers throughout the UK
HOW QUICKLY WILL I RECEIVE MY ORDER?
We are based in a beautiful but remote location, so it is therefore advisable not to leave your order until the last minute! We will always strive to ensure orders are processed as quickly as possible, but if you do require your order urgently, please call us on 01851 672396 and we will do everything we can to assist.
Otherwise, your order will be sent within 48 hours of us receiving it and once despatched, it will take 2 days to reach you. We deliver Tuesdays to Fridays using either Parcelforce or Royal Mail to ensure that your delivery arrives as quickly and as smoothly as possible. We will send you a confirmation email once your order has been despatched, which will include a tracking number so you can follow the latest information on your parcel.
WILL I NEED TO SIGN FOR MY DELIVERY?
Yes, someone will be required to sign for your delivery. However, with Royal Mail they will leave a parcel in a designated ‘safe place’, as long as we have stipulated this. Therefore if you require this service please notify us when ordering. If you have not requested a ‘safe place’ and no-one is there to sign, we cannot be held responsible if your parcel is returned to the sorting office. If this happens Royal Mail will put a note through your door, so please contact them immediately to arrange for the redelivery or collection of your parcel so your products can be refrigerated as soon as possible.
HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE FOR DELIVERY?
UK Deliveries.
There is a postage and packaging charge of £6.00 per UK address for standard delivery or £12.00 for special delivery. However, delivery is free for orders to one UK address which total more than £100.00.
EU Deliveries – currently suspended.
Unfortunately since Brexit we have had numerous problems sending smoked salmon into the EU. Some of the deliveries have got through but many haven’t and even when they have got through there have been delays and extra customs charges. Some countries in the EU are demanding health certificates even for small direct to end consumer shipments, which makes it cost prohibitive for our customers. Furthermore, even when we have arranged these health certificates some of the shipments have not got through. We have contacted the UK government in order to try and find a workable solution but so far we have had no success. We are hoping that things will dramatically improve next year but sadly in the meantime we are left with no option but to suspend mail order deliveries into the EU. Ultimately it will be down to both the UK and the EU governments to show some common sense and flexibility in order to find a mutually beneficial solution.
For deliveries to USA and Canada (up to 4kg in weight, including our packaging), the DHL charge is £65.00 since there are extra customs duties involved. Orders over 4kg in weight may incur extra delivery charges, in which case we will contact you before despatching your order. If you would like to send products to any other non-European country, please contact us for a delivery quote.
HOW DO I KNOW MY CREDIT CARD AND PERSONAL DETAILS ARE SECURE?
When your order is placed on the Uig Lodge website, the debit/credit card payment is handled entirely by secure payment provider RBS WorldPay. All transactions are encrypted using SSL encryption, indicated by the padlock which appears in your browser so you can feel safe and secure.
All personal details are securely stored and used only for ordering purposes in line with our privacy policy or where you have opted in to our quarterly newsletter.
WHICH CREDIT CARDS DO YOU ACCEPT?
We accept the following credit cards: MasterCard, Visa, Maestro, Diners, JCB, Laser and Solo.
CAN I POST A CHEQUE?
Yes, you can post us your order details along with a cheque made payable to ‘Uig Lodge Smoked Salmon’. Please send to: Uig Lodge Smoked Salmon, Uig Lodge, Nr Stornoway, Isle of Lewis HS2 9ET.
CAN I PLACE AN ORDER OVER THE PHONE?
Yes, please call us on +44 (0)1851 672386 Monday to Friday (9am – 5.30pm) and have your credit card details to hand.
DO YOU HAVE A PRIVACY POLICY?
Yes, please see our privacy policy page