Origin: Isle of Mull (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 58.8%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon
Chillfiltered: No
Added colouring: No
Owner: Distell Group Ltd.
Average price: € 100.00
Official website: tobermorydistillery.com
It had been quite some time since I had come across a Ledaig bottled directly from the distillery, and it could only be one of Tobermory’s most interesting releases: the cask strength version of the ten-year-old.
Launched in mid-2025, this limited edition (7,000 bottles) is matured exclusively in second-fill ex-bourbon casks and represents a first for the distillery, which had never before released a cask strength version of this age, as well as containing some of the distillate produced with the new stills installed in 2014.
The name is inspired by the standing stones of Baliscate, a circle of menhirs erected by one of the first settlements on the island, whose photos taken by Gordon Buchanan adorn the packaging.
This release also marks the second partnership with the Mull and Iona Community Trust, with £20,000 donated to fund projects for the community of Mull, the island where the distillery is located.
Tasting Notes
Less dirty than usual on the nose, even reaching a certain elegance in the well-marked, coastal peat, with the grill beneath where juniper, seaweed and aromatic herbs (thyme, marjoram, rosemary) burn, impregnating scallops, mussels and a handful of bacon, just for good measure. Soy sauce, salted caramel, Catalan cream, lemon tart and spices (nutmeg, black pepper) provide the backdrop, along with a slight vegetal vein of bergamot tea and mint. Three-dimensional and maritime.
It is beautifully full-bodied on the palate, with black pepper, chilli and star anise introducing an extended salinity of Nori seaweed and strictly smoked seafood (oysters, mussels, scallops), with a distinct vegetal vein. Citrus fruits stand out, including lime and grapefruit, also in pastries in candied form and in creams, with vanilla, sweet liquorice and marshmallow. Apple, Modica chocolate, chestnut honey and pecans. The smoke becomes medicinal in length. Full.
The finish is long, spicy and salty, with pecans, maple syrup and honey, sweet liquorice, candied citrus fruits, medicinal and woody smoke, and brine.
Review: Ledaig’s coastal soul puts on its best clothes and enters high society, but without forgetting its origins. A satisfying, full-bodied dram, with peat that intrigues and refreshes without excess. Simply excellent.
Vote: 89/100