Category: Ledaig

Style: Funky and Tropical fruits

Nose:

Diesel oil, fisherman’s friend, sea salt, flints, banana flower, red chilli spice and even a touch of cumin all tossed in together with explicit vanilla barley. A peculiar set of aroma, even more so for a distillery bottling these days. Almond milk, oily kelp, green mangoes converges at the back.

Palate:

Barley converts into the form of malt syrup, savoury. Smoked salmon basked in mineral and maritime notes. Plenty of white pepper, then we have five spices, salt, paprika and cumin dusting on bright vanilla fruits. A more round and floral back palate – Banana flowers and banana confectioneries to inject nice sweetness to balance the tone. Finish with a faint whiff of tarry, beachside bonfire smoke.

Finish:

Weak notes of cloves and white pepper seasoned tropical fruits, sea breeze and a touch of milky oak to finish.

Thoughts:

Such a unique, ballsy style of whisky. So much funky and “dirty” elements at play but somehow it has managed to pull off with optimum tropical fruits gelling the whole expression together. Strange enough to put off some beginners (and some connoisseurs), but I quite enjoyed it. Many whiskies are made to be more approachable these days, my hats off to people who dare to be different. Bravo.

✓ [Recommended if you like the style/ distillery]

[46.3% • Original Bottling • 2015 Bottled • Non Chill Filtered • General Release • t]

-Esmond

Style: Sherry bomb and Peaty

Nose:

Staggering sherry sludge flooding in – thick red fruits, jammy and immensely sweet. Minerals, match box and sand paper notes buried within giving a balancing dry tone. A rather briny core hides in the deep, sea breeze and mossy, hmmm, a hint of salted fish. A sherry curve ball this is.

Palate:

Red fruits break the viscous shackles and what a delightful oloroso scene we have here. Dynamic flow of strawberry jam, raisin syrup, nectar and caramelized almonds… Absolutely delicious! Matches are struck and boil up the red hot chilli spices which have been holding their breath. Low key earthy peat voicing softly but distinct undertones can be heard.

Finish:

Provoking spices stay while grape juice teams up with damp peat and smoke to give a true sherried Mull finish.

Thoughts: 

A funky sherry bomb. Full on Oloroso fireworks with the Mull spirit put up a courageous fight. Yes, it is sulphured, but I do not see it as a fault – in fact, it provides a touch of dryness to counter the overwhelming sweetness which is inevitable in strong first fills. Not everyone like Ledaig but I think it is a very underrated distillery and we have a magnificent cask bottled here.

☆ [Recommended] 

[60.4% • 2015 • Single Cask • Independent Bottling • Cask Strength • Non Coloured • Non Chill Filtered • Limited Edition • Cask Number: 900179]

-Esmond