Ledaig 1999 Connoisseurs Choice Cask Strength 23 yo

 

 

 

55,4°

Distillery : Tobermory - Islands

Refill American Hogshead 

Independent Bottling 

By Gordon & MacPhail 

Limited Edition

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 37 ppm

 

 

 

In fact, aged Ledaig is relatively rare, for the simple reason that Ledaig was not at all renowned 20 or 30 years ago. Back then, people didn't buy many of their casks. It turned out to be a good investment, because today Ledaig casks are snapped up. This one was distilled in 1999, and it has two advantages. Firstly, it's a simple Refill American Hogshead, which will let the so typical distillate express itself, and secondly, it's a cask that has previously held Islay whisky. But they didn't tell me which one, personally I'd tend to think it's a Laphroaig, yet I could very well be wrong. 202 bottles have been released and distributed exclusively by La Maison du Whisky via the Collection New Vibrations.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Perfectly smooth, and at the same time perfectly dirty. Chiselled iodine, all the way to limestone, apples and yellow plums, and at the same time, the terrible Ledaig peat, with scents of melted plastic, whitewash, mucky roots. Soft caramel, gentian, honey, a medicinal touch, with bandages and turpentine, disinfectant. Slight herbal hints, tall grass, reeds. On the palate, the vanilla becomes more present, disturbed by thick peat and candied lemon. Genoise and slate, crème brûlée and salty, even maritime notes, seaweed and shellfish. Controlled spices that touch on liquorice. The finish is long and truly explosive, with biscuit leaves known as gavotte, grated nutmeg and star anise, vanilla soft cake and fresh walnuts, ginger.

 

In Short, 

It really is a Ledaig at its best, where the beautifully executed maturation envelops a monstrously dirty distillate. I love contrasts in whisky, and this is one of the finest.  What's more, it's on special offer these days, at a really good price (it's a bit expensive the rest of the time), so it's going to be hard to resist.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Framed