Ledaig 1972 Alambic Classique Review

“That’s How Strong My Peat Is”

Country: Scotland

Region: Highland - Islands - Mull 

Brand: Ledaig 1972 (Alambic Classique - Rare & Old Selection) 

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 40 Years

ABV: 48.2 %

Colour: Full Gold

Nose: Dusty Peat, Dirt Road and Silky Smoke are the first impressions. It's a lovely Mature Nose and the Alcohol is perfectly integrated. Very little Wood for a 40 Years old Single Malt. Give this Ledaig sufficient time in the glass in order to release all of its Aromas. After a while I find Malt, Buttered Toast, Assorted Dark Red Fruits, Mandarin, Apricot, Lemon Peel, lightly Sour Cherries, Dusty Shelves, Leather Upholstery, Salted Nuts, light Vanilla, Medicinal notes, Cocoa Powder and a hint of Soy Sauce. Quite nice!

Taste: Not quite as good as the Nose. It's a combination of Dirty Earth, Wet Clay, Tar, Ashes, Smoke, Bitter Citrus (Orange, Grapefruit), light Pepper, Salt, Bitter Chocolate, Dried Fruit Leather, Cough Medicine, Espresso and Oloroso Sherry. Again, very little Oak for its age.    

Finish: Middle Long and slightly Medicinal with Dirty Earth, Smoke, Tar, Ashes, Bitter Oranges, Dark Red Fruit, Salty Licorice, Toffee and Bitter Chocolate. This is the less interesting part of this Ledaig. 

I added a little Water and on the Nose you get more Citrus and Pineapple. On the Palate, the Smoke and Peat retreat somewhat while the Citrus increases its presence. I prefer to sip it Neat as the Alcohol is perfectly integrated. But this Ledaig allows you to add some Water as well. 

Rating: 86.5

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5

General Remarks: The Tobermory Distillery is located on the Hebridean Island of Mull. It was formerly named Ledaig and was founded in 1798 by John Sinclair. Nowadays it is owned by the Distell Group Ltd. The Distillery produces unpeated Malt under the name Tobermory and peated Malt under the old Distillery name Ledaig. The latter is mainly used in blends like Black Bottle and Scottish Leader. The Single Malt I am tasting today was distilled in the year 1972 and matured in an Ex-Oloroso Sherry Cask with # 13310. It was bottled by Independent bottler Alambic Classique from Germany at Cask Strength in 2013. Natural colour and not Chill-Filtered. It costs around 280 US Dollars but it will be hard to find. I got the sample at Whisky Base, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: This is one of the oldest and more expensive whiskies I've tasted so far. It's a pity I only had a small sample as I would have liked to taste it a little longer. Two things are quite remarkable and called my attention right away. In the first place I noticed the absence of Oak from start to finish. The Wood is perfectly integrated as is the Alcohol. And secondly it's remarkable how the Peat and Smoke have maintained their strength in those 40 Years. Even to the point that they still dominate the proceedings, especially on the Palate. The Cask was not quite able to create a perfect balance between the Sherry and the heavily peated Spirit. A pity as the Nose was very promising. The Finish is not very memorable I'm afraid. But despite some little flaws, I quite liked this Ledaig. I am glad though that I had the chance to try a sample. Because I don't think it's worth spending 280 US Dollars. Despite the fact that the price by itself is okay given the age of the Spirit.

Jan van den Ende                                                                       July 6, 2015