Ledaig 1997 (Old Particular)

Douglas Laing selected this Ledaig, aged 21 year old from 1997, drawn from cask DL 13060 and bottled at 49.6%. Just 256 bottles were filled. Ledaig is the heavily peated single malt of Tobermory distillery, the only distillery on the Isle of Mull, founded in 1798. Ledaig, the old name kept for the peated malt, means safe haven in Gaelic.

It was worked through high reflux stills from peated malt, for the smoky, maritime spirit Ledaig is known for. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, a light sweetness under the peat. Beyond twenty years the smoke turns gentle and sweet, soot and brine over deep fruit and wax. Years in oak round the smoke while the medicinal, tarry notes mellow. 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.

At 49.6%, undiluted, it is rich and deep. A maritime smoke over ripe fruit, and honeyed vanilla comes through from the ex-Bourbon. Soft smoke and brine sit behind the cask sweetness. It closes long, smoky and briny. This is a bold, peated island single malt.