Ledaig 2008 WM (Wilson & Morgan)

This Ledaig was from the independent bottler Wilson & Morgan, a 10 year old island malt from 2008, drawn from cask 7000032 - 7000036 and bottled at 50%. Just 1621 bottles were filled. Made on the Isle of Mull, Ledaig is the heavily peated malt of the island's only distillery. It is one of Scotland's oldest distilleries, and the only one on its island.

It was drawn off stills with their S shaped lyne arms, from peated malt, for a heavily peated island spirit. It was matured in ex-Bourbon oak, a vanilla sweetness beneath the smoke. At a youthful age the smoke is vigorous and coastal. Sea air works into the island maturation, lending Ledaig its briny, coastal edge. 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 a natural 50% it is bold and full. A sooty smoke with tar and brine, and honeyed vanilla comes through from the ex-Bourbon. 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.