Whisky: Ledaig 14 Year (2007), Dram Hunters

Country/Region: Scotland/Islands

ABV: 57.2%

Cask: Bourbon, Diamond Guyana Rum (3Y)

Age: 14 Years (Distilled June 2007, Bottled 2022)

Nose: Green bananas and petrol, bruised pineapples with hints of buttery shortbread, burning sugar cane, caramelized sugars, hints of coconut, beach debris, and maritime salt.

Palate: Medium-bodied and oily, brine and tropical fruits, green banana, fried plantains with honey, charred wood and ash, old tobacco pipe, charred teriyaki— slightly bitter and ashy toward the end with accents of pineapple and charred fat.

Finish: Medium to long with charred maritime delights and subtle fruits.

Score: 7 (83)

Mental Image: Downwind the Beach Barbecue.

Narrative & Notes: Ledaig in rum? Yes, please.

When it comes to Ledaig, I take a no-nonsense approach— just give it to me in a refill sherry or bourbon cask and avoid anything too heavy. I appreciate the malt so much that there seems no reason to tempt fate by sticking it into something too aggressive.  I had never tried Ledaig in rum so this was a definite curiosity.

I was not disappointed. My expectations with Ledaig are always properly high and this was about what I hoped it would be, though I was surprised more of the fruits on the nose did not come over onto the palate.  That fruitiness only really popped on the initial hit before wood, ash, and tobacco took over. There were some intriguing roasty-char notes on the palate that reminded me of the charred edges of teriyaki chicken that sat on the grill just a little bit too long. It was an almost bitter over-caramelization of sugar and fat at high heat. Those notes dissipated quickly on the finish so that more grilled shellfish and subtle fruit, mostly green banana, could emerge again.

Overall, robust and assertive, the peated malt had some lovely rummy fruit accents.  I wonder how this might have developed with a bit more age.  Well, never mind that it was delightful as is. The wife enjoyed it as well and gave it a 4/5.