Country: Scotland
Region: Highland - Island - Mull
Brand: Ledaig 2005
Type: Single Malt
Age: 6 Years
ABV: 53.6 %
Date: 11/11/2013
Colour: Pale Straw/White Wine
Nose: Lots of Dirty Peat, Wet Clay, Fresh Tarmac, Rubber, Charcoal, Soot, Ashes, Brine, Alcohol, Salty Licorice, BBQ Sauce, Herbs and Mineral Tones. After a while I get some Cereals, Salted Butter and hints of Grapefruit Juice, Lemon and Olive Oil. In a Blind Tasting I probably would have identified this as a Young Islay. I miss a bit of balance in the Nose as the Peaty/Smoky elements are quite predominant.
Taste: Young Spirit. It basically follows the Nose with Peat, Tar, Caramel, light Oak, Barley Sugar, Alcohol, Grapefruit, Straw, Grass, Lemon, light Vanilla, BBQ Sauce and Peppered Vodka.
Finish: Long, Peaty, Herbal and Spicy with Sweet Barley, Cigar Ashes, Salt, BBQ Sauce, Pepper and Ginger. I have never actually licked an ashtray the morning after a successful party. But that's what my tongue was telling me some 15 minutes after having swallowed this Ledaig.
I added a few drops of Water and the Nose becomes Mineral, Herbal and Coastal. On the Palate some Fruity Tones appear. Think of Pears. The Finish becomes quite Hot with Pepper in the lead. I advise you to experiment with a bit of Water until you find the right combination.
Rating: 81.5
Nose: 21 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5
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 CL Financial, based in Trinidad. The Distillery produces unpeated Malt under the name Tobermory and peated Malt under the old Distillery name Ledaig. The whisky is mainly used in blends like Black Bottle and Scottish Leader. The Ledaig we are tasting today was distilled in November 2005 and matured in an Ex-Bourbon Barrel with Cask # 12027. It was bottled by Independent bottler Malts of Scotland at Cask Strength in May 2012. This Ledaig is naturally coloured and not Chill-Filtered. It costs around 65 US Dollars but it will be very difficult to find it as only 180 bottles were available.
Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good
Conclusion: I love it when Peat waves a successful combination with Fruit, Oak, Spices and Sherry. That' s not the case here. This Ledaig leans too heavy on the Peat, Ashes, Soot and Tar. This makes the Nosing and Tasting a bit too monotonous as far as I'm concerned. Heavily Peated Grapefruit Juice with a dash of BBQ Sauce!
Jan van den Ende November 2013
