Ledaig 1995 V&M (Valinch & Mallet)

This Ledaig was released by Valinch & Mallet matured to 25 year old from 1995, drawn from cask 179 and bottled at 50.7%. The outturn was 236 bottles. Ledaig is the peated malt made at Tobermory on Mull, a distillery founded as Ledaig in 1798. The distillery was founded in 1798 by John Sinclair, a local kelp merchant, as the Ledaig distillery.

The spirit was made in the kinked copper stills from peated barley, for a smoky, tarry make with a sweet core. It was matured in ex-Bourbon oak, a vanilla sweetness beneath the smoke. Beyond twenty years the smoke turns gentle and sweet, soot and brine over deep fruit and wax. Active casks frame the smoke without smothering the fruit beneath. The distillery was refurbished and its stills renewed between 2017 and 2019. Mull's maritime climate works into the maturing casks over the years. It is one of the oldest commercial distilleries in Scotland still working.

At cask strength 50.7% it is muscular. Peat, iodine and a fruity sweetness, and the refill bourbon lends a quiet vanilla. A sweet fruit and a medicinal note sit under the smoke. A long, peaty finish smoulders to the end. This is the smoky side of Tobermory distillery.