Ledaig 2009 DoV (Double-V)

This Ledaig was released by Double-V matured to 11 year old from 2009, drawn from cask 700036 and bottled at 54%. Only 253 bottles were released. Ledaig is the smoky side of Tobermory distillery on the Isle of Mull, one of Scotland's oldest distilleries. The distillery makes two malts: the unpeated Tobermory and the peated Ledaig.

It was drawn off stills with their S shaped lyne arms, from peated malt, for a heavily peated island spirit. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla under the maritime smoke. At this age the smoke is fierce and ashy, the brine and medicinal note sharp. Sea air works into the island maturation, lending Ledaig its briny, coastal edge. 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 54% it is intense and layered. A sooty smoke with tar and brine, and the bourbon cask adds vanilla and a gentle honey. 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.