Ledaig 2005 HB Finest Cask Strength (Hart Brothers)

This Ledaig was released by Hart Brothers, an 11 year old release from 2005 and bottled at 54.6%. Ledaig is the peated malt made at Tobermory on Mull, a distillery founded as Ledaig in 1798. The distillery makes two malts: the unpeated Tobermory and the peated Ledaig.

It was made in the kinked copper stills from peated barley, for a smoky, tarry make with a sweet core. Ex-Sherry wood added dried fruit to the smoky spirit. At this age the smoke is fierce and ashy, the brine and medicinal note sharp. Active casks frame the smoke without smothering the fruit beneath. 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. Water is drawn from a private hill loch, the Gearr Abhainn, above the town. Its painted home town gives the unpeated malt its name.

At 54.6%, undiluted, it is rich and deep. Peat, iodine and a fruity sweetness, and the Oloroso lends raisin, walnut and a dried fruit richness. 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.