Ledaig 1973 Ses Castle Label (Sestante)

This Ledaig was picked by Sestante, aged 14 year old from 1973 and bottled at 56.3%. Ledaig is the smoky side of Tobermory distillery on the Isle of Mull, one of Scotland's oldest distilleries. Ledaig, the old name kept for the peated malt, means safe haven in Gaelic.

It was drawn off stills with their S shaped lyne arms, from peated malt, for a heavily peated island spirit. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, soft oak that lets the peat lead. Mid age brings a deeper, sweeter smoke and a maritime lift. Sea air works into the island maturation, lending Ledaig its briny, coastal edge. Water is drawn from a private hill loch, the Gearr Abhainn, above the town. Its painted home town gives the unpeated malt its name. A rare, more heavily peated make has appeared under the name Iona, after a neighbouring isle. In dry summers the distillery has paused when its hill loch ran low. The distillery sits at the head of the bay, beneath a steep wooded hill.

At a hearty 56.3% it carries real weight. A sooty smoke with tar and brine, and the ex-Bourbon lends vanilla and a soft honey. The texture is oily, the smoke threaded with sea salt. A long, peaty finish smoulders to the end. This is Ledaig's smoky, maritime single malt.