Whisky: Ledaig 17 Year (2005), Whisky Sponge No. 70

Country/Region: Scotland/Islands

ABV: 62.1%

Cask: 2nd Fill Sherry Butt

Age: 17 Years (Distilled 2005, Bottled 2022)

Nose: Maritime and industrial, brine and rubber, fish oil, smoke, hints of medicinal herbs, subtle grilled pineapple.

Palate: Thick and full-bodied, brine and smoke, grilled pineapple and fruit, charred wood, hints of rubber, kippers, dirty shop rags, metallic and iron, hints of meat, cream, and more brine.

Finish: Long and lingering with salt, grilled fruit, and metallic.

Score: 8-

Mental Image: Treasure Chest of Briny Delights

Narrative & Notes: Maritime and industrial, the aroma lent itself to old tires abandoned by the beach, a tired old fish-smoking shed, and rubber buoys bobbing near the harbor breakwaters. Medicinal at times with pine and spruce tips in syrup or tea with more subtle layers of fish oil and charred salty wood. Teases of fruitier notions with roasted pineapple and brown sugar hung in the background. Thick and full-bodied, the profile was sweet and salty with a rich smoke. Grilled pineapple and tropical fruits hid under a blanket of salty mineral-rich smoke. Charred wood and old rubber boots brought me back to the shore with rubber boots, brined kippers, greasy shop rags, and an iron-metallic bite. More brine, iron, and an almost creamy meatiness brought to mind fresh uni at the end. The finish was long and lingered with salt, grilled fruit, and iron.

Unctuous and intense, this well-sherried Ledaig from independent bottler Whisky Sponge featured a fantastic melange of maritime brine, sweet caramelized fruits, and slightly acrid smoke. I love a good maritime whisky and this took me straight to the shore with makeshift iron grates used to grill sugary tropical fruits, giving them just a twinge of metallic iron with the first bite. Along the shore, I encountered a charred fish-smoking shed with rubber boots and a few greasy shop rags sitting outside. It seemed the perfect place to sit while trimming open a sea urchin to pull oak its briny roe. The images came fast and crystal clear, as the flavor notes were well-structured and integrated.

The wife rated this a handy 4/5 on her more abbreviated scale and declared it really good. It was not quite as meaty as she wanted, but she enjoyed the mix of pungent smoke and sweet fruit. I was particularly impressed by the thick mouthfeel as the malt spilled across the palate like oil, which clung for a very long finish of grilled fruit with a touch of salt and iron or tin.

Overall, delicious.