Ledaig 1992 SLC Beinn A’ Cheò (Scottish Liqueur Centre)

A Ledaig single malt, an independent Scottish Liqueur Centre bottling, an 11 year old from 1992 and bottled at 58.9%. A release of 330 bottles. Ledaig, the peated malt of Mull's only distillery, keeps the old name the distillery bore when John Sinclair founded it in 1798. Water comes from the Gearr Abhainn, a private hill loch above the town of Tobermory.

The spirit was run through the distillery's boil ball stills from peated barley, to build the medicinal, briny Ledaig character. It was matured in ex-Bourbon oak, a vanilla sweetness beneath the smoke. At this age the smoke is fierce and ashy, the brine and medicinal note sharp. Peat smoke and active oak settle together over the years, the smoke softening as the fruit deepens. Burn Stewart revived production in 1993, and Distell bought the distillery in 2013. The stills carry boil bulbs and a kink in the lyne arms, which lifts the reflux.

At 58.9%, undiluted, it is rich and deep. Soot, sea salt and a sweet fruit, and honeyed vanilla comes through from the ex-Bourbon. Beneath the smoke run brine, tar and a sweet fruit. The close is long, smoke over a sweet fruit. This is the peated island malt of Mull.