Review by: The Muskox

This was one of several drams that u/_asipper brought back with him from a trip to Campbeltown… we should all be so lucky.

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Distillery: Tobermory.

Bottler: Cadenhead’s.

Region: Islands.

ABV: 54.4%, cask strength.

Age: 14 years old. Distilled in 2008. Bottled in 2022.

Cask type: Bourbon Hogshead.

Color: Light gold. No colour added, un-chillfiltered.

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Nose: Fresh and bright. Seafood counter! Bourbon-cask sweetness, sugar-dusted funnel cake, and milk-tea. Citrus zest, lemongrass and lemonless grass. Chalk and brine. Toasted sesame oil, those rice crackers with seaweed, and a little barnyard.

Palate: Thick texture. Arrives grassy, briny, and honey-sweet with a little melon and lime, before turning deep, savoury, and seafoody. Dirty peat, old bandages, punky wood, and potting soil. Various shellfish, maybe still swimming around. Korean smashed cucumber salad (cucumber, gochugaru, rice vinegar).

Finish: Medium-length, deeply charred. Slightly vanilla-creamy. Lingering savouriness and ashtray. Lime sherbet and macadamias.

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Possible SMWS bottling name: “Pier, one imports”

Notes: Quite a tasty example of Ledaig! Comparing to the similar 12 year old Cadenhead’s Authentic Collection bottling I tried recently, this is darker and more medicinal… I think the 12 was a little bit more to my personal taste, but it’s splitting hairs. I will say, though, that between the deep dark peat, seafood, and lime, this really isn’t that far away from Allied-era Ardbeg, which I do adore… but it’s still Ledaig.

Final Score: 85.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.