Ledaig 2007 MW Inspiring Friends (Michiel Wigman)

A Ledaig single malt, drawn and bottled by Michiel Wigman, aged 15 year old from 2007 and bottled at 49.5%. The outturn was 178 bottles. Made on the Isle of Mull, Ledaig is the heavily peated malt of the island's only distillery. Its history is famously broken, with long silences; the buildings once held holiday lets and stored cheese.

Worked through high reflux stills from peated malt, for the smoky, maritime spirit Ledaig is known for. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, soft oak that lets the peat lead. Mid age brings a deeper, sweeter smoke and a maritime lift. Years in oak round the smoke while the medicinal, tarry notes mellow. Mull's maritime climate works into the maturing casks over the years. It is one of the oldest commercial distilleries in Scotland still working. 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.

At cask strength 49.5% it is muscular. A maritime smoke over ripe fruit, and ex-Bourbon oak gives vanilla and a light sweetness. Soft smoke and brine sit behind the cask sweetness. The close is long, smoke over a sweet fruit. This is a bold, peated island single malt.