Whisky: Ledaig 25 Year (1997), Murray McDavid Mission Gold

Country/Region: Scotland/Islands

ABV: 57.2%

Cask: Margaux Wine Finish

Age: 25 Years (Distilled 1997, Bottled 2023)

Nose: Dirty and industrial with acrid coal smoke, maritime brine, new car tires, and dirty shop rags; more barbecue smoke and grilled shellfish with time, grilled pineapple, and charred pork.

Palate: Medium-bodied and syrupy, dirty park grill tops, slightly acrid coal smoke, grilled pineapple, plantain, and sweet marinaded char siu, flossy candies with kerosene and a touch of tar, maritime brine and tug boats in the background, more charred wood, chocolate malt powder, and new tires toward the end.

Finish: Long and lingering with grilled fruits, soft brine, and a touch of cocoa powder.

Score: 8 (89)

Mental Image: Tug Boat Booze Cruise

Narrative & Notes: Traipsing through a tugboat harbor or some industrial dockyard on a quiet weekend, this Ledaig was filthy and delicious. The wine cask influence came through with beautiful grilled pineapples, plantains, and caramelized meaty char siu. There was no confusing this very mature Ledaig with the less peated products from the early nineties— this was full-throttle dirty shop rags and coal soot.  The aroma and palate were closely matched, with more sweet caramelized fruits and candies coming through on the latter.

Beautiful stuff— the flavors were well-structured, the mouthfeel had a lovely weight, and the finish was long and rich. I first tried this at the end of an SMWS birthday bash for our local whisky club, and despite all the fantastic things we poured as part of this tasting, this bonus bottle nearly stole the show. A friend graciously allowed me to take home some, and when I revisited it a couple of times a month later, it was still just as robust and delicious.

Overall, a real stand out. The missus was slightly less enthusiastic; she found the aroma delightful but the palate more simple— good, but not great according to her Ledaig scale.