Review by: Whiskery Turnip
A quick note; this was consumed at the Single Cask Singapore during one my visits, however, it was not a bottle on their shelves at the time. As it was a private bottle, freely shared, I have not included it as part of my Singapore Bar series. The fact that this happened several times during out visit surely speaks to the generosity and amiability of the whisky community there.
Distillery: Tobermory Ledaig
Bottler: The Whisky Agency
Region: Scotland/Island Single Malt
ABV: 48.5%. Cask strength.
Age: 25 years. Distilled in 1995. Bottled in 2020.
Cask type: Hogshead.
Nose: Industrial, but not acrid, with beach tar, oil, greasy rags, fresh-cut apples, sun-bleached coral and sea shells on the beach, hints of honey, apricot jam, and mascarpone.
Palate: Medium-bodied, oily, industrial and fruit, greasy rags and apples, soft maritime brine, hints of tar and creosote, dried herbs toward the end with earthy ginger and turmeric, hints of iron; jammier with time.
Finish: Long and lingering with fruits and salty-mineral coastal vibes.
Mental Image: Following that Old Dune Road
Conclusion: Surprisingly industrial after two and a half decades in the cask, one could be forgiven for mistaking this for an equivalent or older Laphroaig. The industrial notes on the nose were generally soft like tar or pavement worn by sun and sea: balls of tar on sandy beaches or the remnants of a closed coastal road cracked and swallowed by the movement of dunes. Hints of something fruitier lurked in the background with creamy mascarpone, honey, and apricot jam. The fruity side extended over time while the industrial-dirty quality of the malt faded into the background without ever disappearing.
A similar journey occurred on the palate as a dirty maritime shoreline faded to orchard fruits and earthy turmeric with hints of tea. Those tea-like herbal notions, almost cigar box at times, continued to develop alongside jam and an iron minerality that called back to greasy rags and a grimy coastal tar.
Overall, a well-appointed and robust Ledaig; unlike some of the other examples of these early to mid-nineties vintages, this one maintained a lovely dirty-peat quality. I doubt one would ever confuse this with any of the unpeated Ledaig or Tobermory of the same era.
Final Score: 87.
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 