Ledaig 11 Virgin Oak Finish (2010/2022)

Nose: Sweet buttery malt, oiled leather, linseed oil, dry autumn leaves, vanilla, Fisherman’s Friend cough lozenges. There is peat smoke but it is very soft and gentle, and there is a fragrant quality to the nose that could easily lead you to think the maturation was in an ex-sauternes cask. The 55.8% abv is excellently contained and there is no alcohol nip at all. Water brings forward orange zest and brine at the expense of its oily qualities Neat: 90/100, Reduced: 87/100 Palate: Peat smoke is more immediate and potent on the palate than it is on the nose. The arrival is hefty with a spicy and alcoholic tingle, and leafy smoked pineapple, smoked ham, brine, salt plum, oak tannin and ginger appear in the development. The texture is weighty and creamy. Adding water makes the palate bloom by taking the edge off the alcohol and bringing sweet orange, demerara sugar and sea salt forward. The balance this gives is very agreeable. Neat: 86/100, Reduced: 88/100 Finish: Long. Smoke, ash, woody peat, caramel, grapefruit. Reduction lengthens the finish while adding both bittersweet citrus and salt, but it does lose crispness. The Aftertaste is honey sweet. Neat:88/100, Reduced: 87/100 This is a very enjoyable limited edition Ledaig that was only available from the distillery door. I often notice that the peat smoke on Ledaig is more akin to Springbank peat than anything from Islay, and that is demonstrated here in spades. If you gave me a pour of this blind and said it was Springbank or Longrow I’d believe you. When neat, the nose is slightly better than the palate and finish, but it is still very good overall. Adding a little water takes the nose down a step in brilliance, which is a pity, but the effect it has on the palate and finish makes up for this. It's delightful either way. It's a very satisfying whisky that I can highly recommend, however be aware that neither this 55.8% expression, nor the 57% expression that replaced it, is available in large bottles from the distillery. You can still buy 50ml sample bottles at the distillery and you might find 700ml bottles on auction sites. Tasted from a bottle bought at Tobermory distillery, 14th April 2025 “Very Good” : 87/100 (4.25 stars)