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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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April 6, 2026 |
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The Time Warp Sessions,
today Ledaig, 32 years apart
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Just a heads-up, we still have zillions of Ledaigs to publish, but today we’ve chosen to take a closer look at the stylistic differences between the earliest vintages (alongside Longrow, so roughly 1972–1975) and a much more recent version. I’d remind you that, in the early 1970s, a number of distilleries began, or resumed, producing peated whisky, as blenders were in great need of it. Tobermory was one of them with its Ledaig, as was Clynelish at the other end of Scotland with Brora. |
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Ledaig Tobermory 14 yo 1973/1984 (40%, Sestante) 
We had loved the 56.3% version, some… er, twenty years ago (WF 92). We used to call it ‘the Wehrmacht Ledaig’ because of the label, but we were afraid of nothing in those days. As it happens, we had never tasted this more civilised version, so it is time to set things straight. Colour: gold. Nose: extraordinary. Please forgive me if I use military analogies, but here we are deep into boot polish and gun oil, flint too, then, very gradually, we shift towards oysters and an old fisherman’s net stranded on the beach while someone is grilling fish a little further away. And there is tar that comes along with it. What a nose! Mouth: it hesitates a little right at the start, gathers its strength (only 40%, do not forget), then charges towards smoked fish and equally smoked meats. This ultra-kippery side is nonetheless rather rare, even on Islay. It then develops a little further, on engine oils and a few delicately petroly and waxy notes. It is not powerful, but it is never weak. Finish: certainly not immense, but there is a veritable avalanche of ashes and polishes. Comments: superbly singular. With a thought for Roland P.
SGP:356 - 91 points. |
Let’s go to the other end of the spectrum… |
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Ledaig 19 yo 2005/2025 (65.5%, Scout Drinks, butt, cask #90002, 170 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: the lineage is not quite so obvious, but do watch the strength, we are not dealing with the same ABV at all. It seems extremely fine, but to appreciate it at this strength, one has to employ the Big Jim McEwan method. Outdoors, facing the wind, letting the latter carry the aromas up towards your nose, without ever ‘sniffing’ yourself. Under those conditions, it is fresh and very coastal, you are by the seaside, dressed in an old oilskin and absolutely brand-new rubber boots. With water: an avalanche of new plastics, practically an entire bulk delivery from Tupperware. Do you remember? While we are at it, there are also a few pots and bottles from Avon. Do you remember as well? Mouth (neat): tremendously sharp. Salted lemon juice, like some competition-grade margarita. But here, even the McEwan method will not do, you really must add water rather quickly… With water: it remains a little brutal, rather in the style of a very young ueber-Ardbeg, but if pepper, tar, plastic and salt do not bother you, you are going to have a ball. Finish: as if that were not enough, now chilli comes storming in. Comments: fruit? You may look for it for quite a while, but we adore it.
SGP:267 - 90 points. |
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