Whisky : Ledaig 12 Year 2001, Malts of Scotland

Country/Region : Scotland/Islands

ABV : 58.9%

Cask : Ex-Bourbon

Age : 12 Years (Distilled Oct. 2001, Bottled Oct. 2013)

Nose : Floral, sweet, and loaded with dirty smoke.  Charred herbs, fish, and burnt sugars provided a smokey welcome while floral notes of winter cheese, fresh cut grass, and musty flower beds offered an interesting complexity.  Sweet swimming pool chemicals, new shoes, and the smell of clothes the day after a BBQ.  

Palate :  Medium bodied with a sharp salty-sweet profile.  Slightly burnt salted caramel, smoked margarita salt, and citrus juice gave this dram the impression of a seaside cantina.  Funky-dirty smoke lingered in the background with truck exhaust, diesel generator fumes, burning paper, and, the slightly more appetite inducing, blackened fish tacos.  A few drops of water quieted the smoke and brought forth more consistent citrus margaritas.

Finish :  Lingering charred herbs and salt.

Score : 6

Mental Image : Stock Car Rally BBQ

Notes : A filthy but beautiful Ledaig with plenty of dirty smoke and an underlying salty-sweetness.  This had plenty of the maritime notes that I love so much along with big doses of tropical citrus, herbs, and sweet florals.  I enjoyed the nose on this a great deal with its fresh cheese and herbal quality, though the wife found it a bit too much like burnt sugar from a failed attempt to make caramel.  

The flavor profile was quite nice, though it was slightly on the sweet side for my taste and I found that adding water only made it more so which left the dram feeling mild and uncomplicated.  At cask strength, or with only a few drops, there was a nice diesel quality (more like it’s near enough to smell than being right next to it) which provided a nice counterbalance to the sweet citrus margarita and caramels.  I do wish this had a bit more of the creamy funk teased on the nose, I love my Ledaigs when they are loaded with cheese rind and sour cheese cave funk.

Overall a lovely Ledaig with a lot going on and perfect for anyone that loves the dirtier smoke and classic maritime salt that Ledaig can often bring to the table.