Part 4 of Reviews from La Maison du Whisky Singapore
Review by: Whiskery Turnip
One of my formative whisky experiences occurred at the La Maison du Whisky hub in Singapore. I was just getting into scotch and had developed a keen interest in Amrut while traveling to India for my sister-in-law’s wedding. My wife and I made a stopover at LMDW and ordered a flight each with help from the staff. As we chatted whisky with the bartender, and we knew very little at the time so I recall the conversation being him asking if we had tried lots of stuff and us replying no, bottles started to appear in front of us. I had never been to a whisky bar before, but the experience was revelatory; from an epic early Amrut Spectrum to a Hanyu, I had no idea how special some of those whiskies were until much later.
Whenever we return to Singapore, we make a pit stop at LMWD. The last time we made it by was 2019; at the time, it felt as though the whisky selection had been trimmed down quite a bit. Four years later, the amount of rum is now staggering, but the whisky selection felt much improved. Sure, old and rare stuff is not just going to magically reappear. Still, the variety of bottlers and casks available appeared more diverse. As we explored our flight, we gazed at the walls of whisky and found plenty more to try on another night.
Distillery: Tobermory Ledaig
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region: Scotland/Island Single Malt
ABV: 64.0%. Cask strength.
Age: 23 years. Distilled in April 1998. Bottled in Sept. 2021.
Cask type: Refill Sherry Butt.
Price: $63/20ml at LMDW Singapore
Nose: Subtle and restrained, maritime with dried fruit, herbal-medicinal tinctures, shisha and fruit, hookah lounge at night, jammy shortbread cookies, salty miso paste and bonito flakes.
Palate: Medium-bodied, rich, preserved fruits, salt, tobacco, subtle earth and acrid industrial notes, meaty rich roasted duck and duck sauce, molasses, ginger biscuits, dried apple slices, roasted caramelization and salt near the end, cheese rind or cave funk with more time.
Finish: Very long with dried fruit, tobacco, and salt.
Mental Image: Harbor Ferry Hookah Bar
Conclusion: This dram was the most expensive member of the flight and certainly the most complex, with the most significant evolution over time. It was outstanding and one of the best Ledaig I have tried— I knew it would be good as soon as I looked over and noticed that the missus was holding it like Gollum did the precious and that half the pour had disappeared. However, I could not help but ponder whether the malt’s greater complexity and challenging nature were worth the premium. Was this four times better than the Ledaig we tried on a previous night which came in at a quarter the price? While I gave them both eights, I would give this the edge. Still, only marginally so, and I do not think the premium was worth the incremental improvement. I do not regret ordering this, it was not something I would usually splurge for, but the price was definitely on my mind as we walked back afterward.
The aroma on this was lovely and light with an upfront fruitiness that only gradually revealed some maritime coastal funk, medicinal herbs, and eventually the burning fruit and herbs of shisha in a late-night hookah lounge. The flavor profile was rich with a lovely meatiness and roasty caramelization that only slowly revealed hints of salty cheese rind. I loved the structure of this malt as new layers appeared and merged as the flavors shifted like smoke between the lights. I know I quibbled about value, but there was no question as to the quality of this malt.
Final Score: 88.
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.
Malt Runners 