Ledaig 2005 (Signatory) (57.3%)

Signatory Vintage bottled this Ledaig, aged 10 year old from 2005, drawn from cask 900151 and bottled at 57.3%. Only 650 bottles were released. Ledaig is the smoky side of Tobermory distillery on the Isle of Mull, one of Scotland's oldest distilleries. Burn Stewart revived the distillery in 1993, and Distell of South Africa bought it in 2013.

The spirit was run through the distillery's boil ball stills from peated barley, to build the medicinal, briny Ledaig character. A sherry cask wrapped the smoke in dried fruit and a nutty depth. At a youthful age the smoke is vigorous and coastal. The phenols soften with age into a gentle, sweet wood smoke. Both malts feed the Scottish Leader and Black Bottle blends as well as single malt. The distillery was refurbished and its stills renewed between 2017 and 2019. Mull's maritime climate works into the maturing casks over the years.

At a full 57.3% it is intense and layered. Soot, sea salt and a sweet fruit, and the Oloroso gives dried fruit and a toasted nuttiness. Beneath the smoke run brine, tar and a sweet fruit. The finish runs smoky, sweet and warm. This is the peated island malt of Mull.