Ledaig 2004 SMS (Speciality Drinks Ltd)

This Ledaig was released by Speciality Drinks Ltd, a 12 year old island malt from 2004, drawn from cask 1030 and bottled at 58.1%. Just 327 bottles were filled. 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 drawn off stills with their S shaped lyne arms, from peated malt, for a heavily peated island spirit. A refill bourbon cask held it, keeping the smoke to the fore. Mid age brings a deeper, sweeter smoke and a maritime lift. Sea air works into the island maturation, lending Ledaig its briny, coastal edge. Tobermory has distilled in the island's harbour town since 1798. The town of Tobermory was laid out by the British Fisheries Society a decade before the distillery came. The distillery's history is broken by long silences; its buildings once stored a local cheddar.

Bottled at a cask strength 58.1%, it is intense. A sooty smoke with tar and brine, and the refill bourbon lends a quiet vanilla. 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.