“The Slightly Dirty 12”
Whisky Review # 1053
Region: Highlands - Islands - Mull
Brand: Ledaig
Distilled at: Tobermory Distillery
Bottled by: Gordon & MacPhail, Elgin - Discovery Series
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Mix of Ex-Bourbon casks and Sherried European Oak casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Maturation: Mix of Ex-Bourbon casks and Sherried European Oak casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price range: US$ 60-70 (January 2025)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Okay
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Okay
Buying Advice: 😐 It's okay but I kinda prefere the standard 10 Years
Color:
Golden (Natural Color)
Nose:
Nose:
The characteristic "Dirty" smell of Ledaig is there but in a milder form. The Nose has got Sweet, Sour and Salty elements and is a little Rough. The Alcohol is there but does not really interfere with the Nosing procedures. There's a bit of a Farm yard feel to this Ledaig. The Sherry Cask influence is limited.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Toasted Barley, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Dough, Smoked Pork on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon, Salt and Herbs, Grass and Straw, Green Apple, Farm-yard, Dried Apricot, Salted Peanuts, Dusty Oak, Cinnamon, Ginger & Mint.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Honey-Nut Cereals, Banana, Orange, Strawberry, Grapefruit, Dirty Earth, Petrol Station, Hospital, Burnt Rubber, Ashes, Fish, Metal, Leather and Slivovitz.
Honey-Nut Cereals, Banana, Orange, Strawberry, Grapefruit, Dirty Earth, Petrol Station, Hospital, Burnt Rubber, Ashes, Fish, Metal, Leather and Slivovitz.
Palate:
A little on the Thin side but still my favorite part of this Ledaig. It's like tasting a dram in a factory facility temporarily used as a field hospital. It's a Medium-Dry mix of Sweet, Bitter, Sour, Salty and Dirty notes. Bourbon cask notes are in the lead.
Main Flavours:
A little on the Thin side but still my favorite part of this Ledaig. It's like tasting a dram in a factory facility temporarily used as a field hospital. It's a Medium-Dry mix of Sweet, Bitter, Sour, Salty and Dirty notes. Bourbon cask notes are in the lead.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Toasted Barley, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Grass and Straw, Fish and Bacon on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon, Salt & Herbs, Dusty Cask, Dirty Muddy Peat, Ashes, Tar, Soot, Green Apple, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Licorice.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Honey-Nuts Cereals, Toffee, Seville-Orange, Tobacco, Leather, Hospital, Banana, Strawberry, Rubber, Plastic, Metal, Wet Rocks, Cocoa, Aniseed, Mint and Nutmeg.
Finish:
Middle-Long and mainly Bitter-Sweet. Additional Sour & Salty notes. Medium Dry. A light Plastic off-note. I also find Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Smoked Fish on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon, Herbs & Salt, Ashes, Tar, Dirty Muddy Peat, Green Apple, Grapefruit, Banana, Orange, Dried Apricot, Wet Rocks, Rubber, Peanuts, Tobacco, Leather, Cocoa, Licorice, Dusty Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Cloves. Some Mint/Menthol as well.
Middle-Long and mainly Bitter-Sweet. Additional Sour & Salty notes. Medium Dry. A light Plastic off-note. I also find Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Smoked Fish on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon, Herbs & Salt, Ashes, Tar, Dirty Muddy Peat, Green Apple, Grapefruit, Banana, Orange, Dried Apricot, Wet Rocks, Rubber, Peanuts, Tobacco, Leather, Cocoa, Licorice, Dusty Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Cloves. Some Mint/Menthol as well.
Drinking Advice:
Added Water does not improve this Ledaig
Added Water does not improve this Ledaig
Rating: 7 (*******)
Nose: 7 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7
*** Important Note with respect to Rating.
If the Final score is 8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.
Drinking Experience Neat: Okay except for the Plastic Off-Note
Conclusion:
Ledaig means Safe Haven. It's the name of the peated expressions of Tobermory. The core range of the distillery now includes the Tobermory 12, the Ledaig 10 & 18 Years as well as the Ledaig Rioja Finish.
Ledaig means Safe Haven. It's the name of the peated expressions of Tobermory. The core range of the distillery now includes the Tobermory 12, the Ledaig 10 & 18 Years as well as the Ledaig Rioja Finish.
I'm usually a big fan of Gordon & MacPhail but this 12 Year old Ledaig doesn't fully convince me. The Sherry cask influence is very limited and I'm not too fond of the Plastic off-note. And it's somehow also slightly less "Dirty in a Good Way' than the official distillery bottlings. The P/Q ratio is okay and it's not a bad Single Malt. But I slightly prefer the standard Ledaig 10 Years
Cheers 🥃
January 5, 2025
Jan van den Ende
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