Review by: Whiskery Turnip
Distillery: Tobermory Ledaig.
Bottler: Decadent Drinks.
Region: Scotland/Island Single Malt.
ABV: 52%.
Age: 29 Years. Distilled in 1995. Bottled in 2024.
Cask type: Refill Sherry Butt.
Nose: Dirty and industrial with Root beer and marzipan, maritime and a touch rubbery, gamey meat, candle wax, grill smoke.
Palate: Medium-bodied, vibrant with a building waxiness, medicinal herbs, charred meat, wispy smoke, dirty and industrial, Root Beer, iron and rust, maritime brine.
Finish: Long and lingering with cola, wispy smoke, and a touch of brine.
Mental Image: Soda Pop Sommelier Recommends a Bison Steak Pairing.
Conclusion: I know I have complained a few times about the price of Whisky Sponge bottles, even considering the high floor for their overall quality. While this was not cheap, it was superb and embodied so much of what I love about early nineties Ledaig that I actually bought two bottles. It grew on me with every revisit and I absolutely adored the pairing of sweet colas and sodas with something dirty and maritime, even gamey and meaty. Those elements were all very distinctive and well-rounded providing a wonderful progression from one element to another.
Overall, fabulous stuff. Big cask-driven profiles are not to my taste, but this struck the right balance with a beautiful waxiness on the palate that built with each sip. I loved it enough that I bought a bottle and then another.
Final Score: 92.
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 