Ledaig 16 Years Old A Dream of Scotland Whisky Circus (Brühler Whiskyhaus)

Bottled by Brühler Whiskyhaus, this Ledaig, a 16 year old island malt and bottled at 53.2%. The outturn was 161 bottles. Ledaig is the smoky side of Tobermory distillery on the Isle of Mull, one of Scotland's oldest distilleries. The distillery makes two malts: the unpeated Tobermory and the peated Ledaig.

It was distilled from peated malt in kinked copper stills on soft Mull water, giving a sooty, coastal peat smoke over a fruity sweetness. Ex-Sherry wood added dried fruit to the smoky spirit. Mid age brings a deeper, sweeter smoke and a maritime lift. Refill oak lets the peat and brine of Ledaig lead. 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. Both malts feed the Scottish Leader and Black Bottle blends as well as single malt.

At a hearty 53.2% it carries real weight. Peat smoke, brine and a medicinal note, and sherried dried fruit and a nutty edge come through. A BBQ char and a sea salt lift it. A long, ashy finish ends on sea salt. This is Ledaig, the peated malt of the Isle of Mull.