ledaig – grey whisky

Whisky 2021 – 4-9

4 – Glenallachie 2009 10yo Sauternes Barrel cask no. 3727 58.9%

Nose is very Sauternes with honey and blossoms. Hand cream, salt, freshly cut pink lady apples dusted with brown sugar.

Palate is quite hot, flinty, gun powder and rubbery. its got honey and caramel but it’s a bit disappointing Mr Walker for you.

Finish liquorice, fennel salt and burnt caramel. Hints of cream.

3/5 Stars

5 – Glenallachie 2005 15yo Madeira Barrel cask no. 3756 60.7%

Nose is orange, almond cake mix, burnt vanilla cream and brown sugar. It’s got a super pleasant dried apricot note.

Palate is hay, cream… wow lots of cream. Nutty and sweet apricots. Orange zest and cake mix.

Finish is unsurprisingly is cream.

4/5 Stars

6 – Arran 2002 17yo by TWA 49.2%

Nose honey, hay, intense fruit sweetness… fun fruit sweetness if I may. Eggy pudding.

Palate isn’t this a Ben Nevis? Eggy pudding, citrus, apricot, grape vine and plum cake. Nutty.

Finish is fake plum flavouring, date pips and slightly tannic.

4/5 Stars

7 – Ben Nevis 1996 23yo by TWA 47.6%

Nose is super waxy!!! Orange zest and brine. Honey and hay. Coffee and chlorine?!

Palate is savoury and waxy. Reminds me of burnt brioche. Green pineapple, olive brine.

Finish is (still) sharp acidic green fruit topped with cream. A bit spicy.

4/5 Stars

8 – Tobermory/Ledaig 1995 25yo by TWA 48.5%

Nose is waxy and lemon zest, fresh cut pineapple, pineapple upside down cake

Palate waxy, green peaches and pineapple, lemon zest, vanilla biscuits, grape vines and cream.

Finish is green fruit, spice, cream and spice. Maybe chocolate mousse.

4/5 Stars

9 – Bunnahabhain 2013 by The Whisky Jury ex Oloroso 53.2%

Nose is chlorine and Cheetos, clear raisin and date sugars. Band-aids and fritz?! (That’s Bologna for my US friends)

Palate is capsicum and cheese pizza, rocks and slightly ashy.

Finish is more Cheetos, rocks and fritz.

4/5 Stars

Whisky 2020 – 45-49 (More iso drinks)

45 – Aultmore 11yr exceptional cask series

Nose is sugared almonds, cloves, gulab jamun and dried mango

Palate is light and airy with sugar sweetness, apple skin, rose petals, red berries and some milk chocolate

Finish is relatively complex and shows flintiness, candy, cream and bruised apples

***

46 – Balblair 2000 18yr Sherry Cask 46%

Nose of sultanas, caramel fudge, golden syrup, cloves in orange. Dried dark fruit, especially prunes and dates.

Palate pecan pie, vanilla bean cream and tobacco. Slight sulphur note.

Finish is warming think brandy cream sauce drenched Xmas pud and a handful of hay.

***^

47 – Inchgower 9yr by Cadenhead 56.5% (3y ex-bourbon 6y sherry)

Nose of warm date scones, honey, milk chocolate

Palate is of medium weight and starts with light maraschino cherry then honey, banana cake, salt, woody and a good lick of date syrup

Finish tea tannins, brown bread, touch of sulphur but a really lovely cranberry jelly note singing.

****

48 – Cardrona Oloroso Dramfest 2020 cask #735

Nose is really woody to begin, like fresh cut pine and balsa wood. Vanilla essence and dates.

Palate is hot and unbalanced. Eventually some cream, egg whites and cocoa notes. Maybe some dried fruit like fat sultanas.

Finish that pine note returns.

49 – Ledaig 2007 12yrs by Rest and Be Thankful sherry cask #700612 58.5%

Nose of honey comb, home churned butter, band-aids, river stones and tar.

Palate is autumn leaves, honey, salt, coal and plastic.

Finish more river stones and tar

***

Whisky 2020 – 6-12 – Bushfire Relief Tasting

6 – Armorik 2016 Maître de chai 46%
Nose is cream, cloves and caramel. Some dust and orange zest.

Palate quite cooling initially, really sherry fino influence. Sticky cinnamon buns and salted butter.

Finish cream and herbaceous

***

7 – Overeem sherry cask OHD30 43%
Varnish and cream! Blackberries, lpg, mandarins and eggy pudding on the nose.

Palate is refreshing. Slight citrus, creme caramel,

Finish is pine and citrus cooling.

***

8 – Redlands Private Investor Cask RD208#16
Nose is wonderful friendly bananas split with chocolate. Some cream and freshly cut pine.

Palate of bananas, cream and egg whites. It’s hot and big!

Finish salt, cream, cucumbers and new make.

** (not great but glad I got to try it)

9 – Longrow 11 years by Cadenhead cask strength Port Cask 57.8%
Nose of prunes, figs, sweat, chlorine, earth, chocolate and cream

Palate of ashy stones, mango, Seville orange, rich earth. Prunes, leather, liquorice and medicinal.

The medicinal nature rings through the finish, and then some delicious caramel.

****

10 – Ardbeg Drum committee release
Nose of caramel, salt preserved lemon, sea spray, stones and paprika

Strongly tropical palate with clear pineapple, ash, salt. Great and intense minerality gives way to loads of tropical fruit and oranges.

Yoghurt, pineapple and ash.

****

11 – Laphroaig Cairdeas 2012 (18th year of Friends of Laphroaig)
Nose is quite tropical, pineapple and mango skins,

Palate is really ash and minerally, plastic, corn chips, but then kicks into clear sweetness.

Finish is cooling coals and ash. Beautiful clarity.

****

12 – Ledaig 1974 43% (bottled 1992)
Nose is chocolate pudding, old cream and smoke. Waxy, hay and stones. Coconut rough!

Palate orchard fruits apples, pears, wax. Chocolate and earthy stones.

Finish is more stones and green moss. Extremely long… more chocolate, ashy stones and finally cream. and butter.

****^

Whisky 2019 – 91-96 – The Single Cask Tasting

91 – TSC Royal Brackla 2006 11yo Cask #310864

The nose was chocolate dipped pineapple with a side of sweet milky tea. Some nice woody notes.

Sweet and oily palate. Lemon tart, resin and chestnuts with spice. With water sweet jasmine tea

Simple sweet and salty finish.

***

92 – TSC Braeval 1994 22yo Cask #165641

Nice nose of snickers bars, stewed stone fruit and toasted coconut.

Simple and straightforward bourbon cask palate that is full of tropical fruit. It has nice creamy and woody notes.

Finish is really delicious salted coconut milk with fresh mango.

***

93 – TSC Deanston 1997 20yo Cask #1982

Curious nose with great earthiness like terrariums. Some chocolate and surprisingly gun powder. End notes of jasmine flowers.

Older Deanston are known to express waxiness on the palate and this certainly did. It was sweet and tropical like tinned pineapple and salty. The the earthy and mineral notes came.

The finish was salty sweetness with leather.

****

94 – TSC Tobermory 1994 23yo Cask #SA1294

Nose: roasted chestnuts, earthy, apricots and salt, vino cotto

Palate: hot and salty, peaches, really interesting and complex.

Finish: bitter and oily but in a good way.

Super confusing dram.

***

95 – TSC Ledaig 2008 10yo Cask #700076

Nose is gluey and oily, salty and maritime. Crisp green apple.

Palate is like licking a painters pallet splashed with fruit cordial.

Oily and maritime, standing in the sea spray.

****

96 – TSC Bruichladdich 2004 14yo Cask #12

Generous nose with apricots, crispy bacon, leather and carob. Reminiscent of old butter slathered on camp fire toast.

According to everyone at the tasting this is my type of palate – super sherried, super rancio with controlled sulfur. Great black fruit and proper maraschino sweetness. Loads of Christmas pudding!

A gentle finish which is dusty and has the umami of dried shiitake

****

Whisky 2019 – 83-84

83 – Bunnahabhain 2005 “Feis Ile 2018” by Douglas Laing for The Islay Whisky Shop refill hogshead DL12519

Lovely dried tropical fruits like mango and pineapple, some really interesting candied white peaches and hand cream

Pretty simple palate of hay, butter and bread, and some tropical fruits.

The finish was where this whisky shone. Think of a wonderful super creme caramel with subtle bitter caramel.

***

84 – Ledaig 8 Years by Signatory for TWE’s 20th Anniversary cask 700389

Super clean and spritely nose. Smelling the ozone and standing in the sea spray. Opening a chocolate box, with whiffs of glue and flint, then a gentle warm honey and touches of dried apricot.

The palate of earth and flint – really powerful minerality. It gives way to oysters and grass and a surprising touch of cocoa.

Loved the finish as it turns in to a charming burnt chocolate cake and grass stained knees.

*****

Whisky 2018 – 120-125, Archives Tasting

120 – Archives “Saddleback Clownfish” Glen Grant 1990/2015 25yo, Bourbon Hogshead #15230, 56.6%
Nose – plastic, grain, wax, bananas, clove, pineapple, milk chocolate
Palate – wax, cream, salted butter, passion fruit vine, chocolate milk, citrus pith, orange zest
Finish – cream, tobacco, salt

121 – Archives “Swallowtail Seaperch” Aultmore 2007/2015 8yo, Sherry Butt #900016, 67.4%
Nose – chocolate, carob, salted butter, dried apricots, orange zest
Palate – cream, old chocolate, shaving cream, dry Xmas spices, woody, dried rose petals, hand cream
Finish – formic acid, cream, salt, old pennies

122 – Archives “Three-Spot Cardinalfish” Blended Malt from 3 Speyside Distilleries 2001 13yo, Sherry Butt #117, 44.7%
Nose – raspberries, sulfur, old apples, orange zest, glacé lemon, wax, brown sugar, chlorine
Palate – pencil shavings, cream, dried pineapple, old coffee, old leather
Finish – white pepper, salt, cream

123 – Archives “Cheeklined Wrasse” Heaven Hill 2009/2017 8yo, Barrel #152716, 63.5%
Nose – Reef Oil, toasted coconut, banana, lemon curd, freshly cut kiwi fruit
Palate – formic acid, pencil shavings, cherry jam, hot jam donuts
Finish – super melted butter, old lipstick, cream

124 – Archives “Spotfin Butterflyfish” Ledaig 2008//2015 7yo, Sherry Butt #700701, 50.6%
Nose – honey, salt, paprika, ham, corn chips, kelp, dark plums, rosemary
Palate – rocks, pencil shavings, coals, paper ash, Vaseline, cheese and bacon Cheetos
Finish – salt, minerals

125 – Archives “Common Sunfish” Kildalton (Lagavulin) 2007/2014 7yo, Hogshead #9396, 54.4%
Nose – leaves and lollies, prune juice, mangos, lemon, caramel lollies, ham, milk powder
Palate – rocks, soap, salt, butter, olive brine, glue
Finish – salty kelpy rocks.

Whisky 2018 – 6-12 G&M Tasting

6 – Gordon & Macphail Teaninich 2009/2017 8yo Refill Sherry Hogsheads 46%
Nose: apples, glue, box wood honey, soap, leather, sherry funk
Palate: roasted plums, Waldorf salad, bitter herbs
Finish: cream, dry Xmas spice, dashi

7 – Gordon & Macphail Tomatin 1997/2014 17yo Refill Bourbon Barrels 46%
Nose: vanilla cake, lemon butter, salt, peaches, fruit salad,
Palate: Great mouth feel, loads of fruit and melon (honeydew and rock)
Finish: Crushed ants, toasted almonds

8 – Gordon & Macphail Mortlach 15yo Refill Sherry Casks 43%
Nose: musk, green strawberries, soy sauce, hand cream
Palate: raisins, apple pie, sherry funk, white pepper, black beans
Finish: sherry, rubber

9 – Gordon & Macphail Ledaig “Hermitage Cask Finish” 2005/2017 12yo 45%
Nose: bacon, roasted carrots, medicinal, Cheetos, chlorine
Palate: intense apples, smoke, roasted capsicum, pencil shavings
Finish: Cheetos

10 – Gordon & Macphail Mannochmore Cask Strength 2006/2017 11yo Refill Sherry Butt 59.4%
Nose: lemon drizzle cake, menthol, rubber, soy, new sneakers,
Palate: dry, flinty, loads of fruits, honey, soy

Finish: sherry tannins, rubber, cream

11 – Gordon & Macphail Glenrothes Cask Strength 58.1% 2005/2017
Nose: honey, honey, honey, toasted coconut, coconut rough, crushed ants, grilled pineapple
Palate: honey, caramel, coconut, salted brown butter, loads of raisins and pastry with water
Finish: leather and dried tropical fruit, green mangos

12 – Gordon & Macphail Balblair for The Whisky Hoop refill bourbon 1996/2015 Cask 414 51.1%
Nose: chicos, milk chocolate, terry’s chocolate orange, candied lemon zest, meringue
Palate: pavlova, lemon zest, cream, honey, fruit cup
Finish: cream, heather

Whisky 2017 – 74-78 Signatory Tasting

74 – Signatory Dailuaine 1997- 19yo
Pineapple, acetone, apricots, dried apples, kiwi fruit, old champagne, egg shells. Salty, green herbs, burnt chocolate, fruity, slight waxy.

75 – Signatory Clynelish 1995 – 20yo
Matches, Forrest wood, leather, mushrooms and earth, maple syrup, nutty. Wood, chocolate almonds, salt, soap bubbles, coffee grounds, tea tannins.

144.2016 – Signatory Bunnahabhain 1989 – 26yo
Pine, orange zest, green bananas, iced coffee, slight medical, old shells. Dusty, flinty, cocoa, an old fire, white wine tannin, old apples.

76 – Signatory Glenlivet 1995 – 20yo
Ice cream cone, wafer biscuit, peanut brittle, ice cream, wood, cane sugar, golden syrup, rock sugar, apple pie, coco pops. Butter, coffee, sarsaparilla, musk, pepper, rose hip jam, tannins.

77 – Signatory Isle Of Jura 1989 – 26yo heavily peated
Leather, quite neutral, mushrooms, dry ginger, nutty, lemon zest, pine wood, walnut oil. Mango, bacon, ice cream, maple syrup, rock melon skin, salted almonds, lemonade.

78 – Signatory Ledaig 2005 – 10yo
Bonfire, medicinal, toasted bread, corn chips, smoked ham. Flinty, Dry, fire, Sherry, slight BBQ meat, apple seeds.

Whisky – 58-62 – Kilkerran Tasting

I don’t know what was going on with my palate last night. Really didn’t enjoy these Kilkerran when I have previously – the felt very underpowered. I was under an air-conditioner which cooled my glasses significantly and may have not allowed the whisky to shine.

I’ve had Work In Progress 1, 3 and 5 before so they aren’t in my count for the year, but I thought it was interesting to show the progression.

WIP 1 Kilkerran
Pineapples, wild fresh mint, glue, salt and pepper, arrowroot, rosemary. Cream, salty, malt cake, slight leather.

WIP 3 Kilkerran
Apple tree ash, fruitier, glue, hand cream, pencil shavings, wild herbs, pineapple. Light palate, cream, tobacco, peaches.

WIP 5 Kilkerran Bourbon Wood
Hand cream, ash, leafy, brown sugar, hand cream, maple syrup, slight peach. Butter, peanuts, salty, burn toast, slight cream and vanilla, leafy.

58 – WIP 6 Kilkerran Sherry Cask
Glue, flint, leather, salt, egg white, pencil shavings, hand cream, Sherry fino. Salty, leafy, gasoline, dry leaves, slight cocoa.

59 – WIP 7 Bourbon Cask Strength
Toasted coconut, lemon zest, glue, pencil shavings, hot ashes, bruised strawberries, eggy chocolate pudding. Toothpaste, preserved lemons, leafy, pencil shavings.

60 – Kilkerran 12
Egg white, Xmas pudding, lemon zest, tropical fruit, tobacco, herbaceous, sea salt, soap, apricots, oysters. Bananas, tropical fruit, olive oil, brown sugar, pencil shavings, leafy.

61 – Cooper’s Choice Ledaig 1998 Cask 0035
Hay, soy sauce, Xmas cake, burning plastic. Barnyard, burning plastic, rubber, sulfur, jersey caramel. Weird but pleased I’ve tried it.

62 – Noah’s Mill Bourbon
Bananas, ice cream with my mum’s chocolate sauce. Bananas, brown sugar caramel, salt, pretty simple.

Whisky 2015 – 96-99

96 – SMWS 112.9 Cooper’s apron; perfumed mink (Loch Lomond)
Wood shavings, whipped cream, digestive biscuits, chocolate coated almonds. Candy sweetness, very thick and syrupy, vanilla icecream, oat biscuits.

97 – The Balvenie 15 Year Single Barrel Cask:10130
Rubber, Sherry, vanilla, dried fruits. Beautiful caramel hit followed by dried peaches and apricots, cardamom, cloves, vanilla bean and warm cola.

98 – Ben Nevis 10 Year Old, 2002 bottling
Sulphur, rose petals, rubber, vine leaves, caramel. Peppery, salty, sugary sweetness, sulphur and leather.

99 – Dramboree Ledaig for Whisky Exchange
Fresh shucked oysters, seaweed, like the rind on Camembert, some honey. Camembert and oysters, lick of paint. A very different dram for me – I was tasting Camembert for the next 2 hours.