Ledaig 16 Year (Blackadder Raw Cask, USA Exclusive)

 

Another amazing Raw Cask offering from independent bottler Blackadder, this time a 16 year Ledaig, part of the "Glass Revolution Dram Hunter Selection" whatever in hell that means. It's USA exclusive, that's all I know. 

Ledaig (the peated version of Tobermory, a very well-regarded distillery on the Isle of Mull) is highly sought after these days, as one of the preeminent non-Islay peated whiskies. Many people feel it has a similar-yet-richer flavor profile as Ardbeg, and with Ardbeg prices going crazy lately that makes Ledaig a very attractive and enticing proposition. So when I saw this older bottling, I basically couldn't resist.

As expected there were huge pieces of the cask left in the bottle, include one I can only describe as a wafer of charred oak. No idea how they even got it in the bottle, maybe the wood gets spongy after soaking so long in alcohol. This is fairly heavily peated, and bottled at 58.6% ABV. Let's dig in:

Nose: I will admit, the first neck pour whiff of this was alarming. It was dank - super ultra dank. Like rotting soil, earthworms, compost. Extremely pungent earth aromas. 

But it "calmed down" with some air and time. Now, in the middle of the bottle, it's very different: sea air, very pungent rock salt, lime peel, lemon peel, red berries, iodine, peat, smoke. It DOES smell like an Ardbeg, but fatter and sharper. Perhaps somewhere between Ardbeg and Glen Scotia is where this Ledaig sits. It's a very unusual nose that I haven't really experienced much better - super citrus, lots of ocean, lots of earth. Water accentuates a vanilla note. 

Mouthfeel: FAT. Very heavy. Almost like cream. 

Palate: Whoa, interesting: reminds me of a turbocharged version of Cask Strength Laphroaig (which is already a turbocharged version of regular Laphroaig). This is very powerful - tons of salt and lime and iodine and barley and peat and ... cranberry?? Some sweetness - chocolate and vanilla both on the back end. Just immensely rich, every flavor is huge and in your face. Water sweetens it, like drinking ocean water with lime juice and some melted chocolate or something. 

Finish: Long - white chocolate, lime, salt, smoke. Very pleasant. 

Verdict: The berries-and-peat combination reminds me of Arbdeg Uigeadail; the lime and white chocolate remind me of Ardbeg Corryvreckan; the vanilla and salt and lemon remind me of Laphroaig. But there is something very unique here as well - a certain literal surf-and-turf that is quite dank and unique. Needless to say, this is a model peated whisky, and a real feather in the cap of Tobermory. Fantastic whisky, if you can stand the bracing nature of the beast. Worth the time of any peathead.