  We theoretically analyze a scheme for a fast adiabatic transfer of cold atoms
from the atomic limit of isolated traps to a Mott-insulator close to the
superfluid phase. This gives access to the Bose-Hubbard physics without the
need of a prior Bose-Einstein condensate. The initial state can be prepared by
combining the deterministic assembly of atomic arrays with resolved Raman
sideband cooling. In the subsequent transfer the trap depth is reduced
significantly. We derive conditions for the adiabaticity of this process and
calculate optimal adiabatic ramp shapes. Using available experimental
parameters, we estimate the impact of heating due to photon scattering and
compute the fidelity of the transfer scheme. Finally, we discuss the particle
number scaling behavior of the method for preparing low-entropy states. Our
findings demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed scheme with
state-of-the-art technology.
