Ledaig 18 Year

Body appears neither thin nor heavy in the glass. A twirl reveals a solid coating that ever so delicately trails down the glass. No big, viscous ribbons, but rather a smooth sheet moving very slowly almost as one. When left alone, 1/8" pearls form a beautiful lace after only a few minutes. I'm led to believe this is rather well crafted, and can't wait to tuck in. Nose is dried black olives, smoked sea salt and overcooked bacon. A few more minutes' rest and another nose, and now there's old leather and tobacco, like a favorite jacket that spends too much time in the humidor. Go back again and there's cherry wood dust and chalk and I'm transported back to middle-school shop class. I like this. A lot. The five minutes of rest and ten minutes of nosing were well spent, and the palate is a wonderful reward. Oysters, perfectly seared scallops, and pancetta dance across a smoky, salty backdrop. This is a barbeque on a beach on a warm sunny day with a light breeze bringing the salt in from the sea. Fantastic. Mid palate throws a dash of unsweet cherries, (maybe a chutney?) that complements the savory flavors, and opens the door for the smoke to finally come center stage and close the show. I know this is peated, but I would not say it's heavily peated by any means. The smoke is integral to the entire experience but never overwhelms, and provides a solid backdrop to showcase the array of flavors and smells. I am really quite happy that we stopped at the food and drink expo while wandering around Oban. A very nice memory, and a very nice Scotch.