Another one of the CataWhisky releases that were done last year! There were minis given away to loyal customers and some bottles divided among people they know (and I assume, like…).

This Ledaig is one of the three (out of five) smoky whiskies. The others were an Ardmore and Secret Islay. I didn’t get the Ardmore and the Secret Islay hasn’t been reviewed yet.

Ledaig then! It’s made as the peaty Tobermory, in the town of the same name on the Isle of Mull. I’m hoping to visit there in the spring of next year, but that’s not a given yet. Getting the right days off is a bit of a thing for the misses, and the longer it takes, the less accommodation is available there.

Anyway, back to the whisky. The label is once again a wood carving by Hans Dillesse, who is a popular whisky label designer for independent bottlers in The Netherlands.

Sniff:
Quite a timid smokiness after a few minutes. It starts off quite heavy, but it mellows rather soon. Grassy peat, some coastal salinity but nowhere near Islay levels of coastal scents. A farm note as well, with wool and hay.

Sip:
The palate is far more woody, with hints of hessian and dry bark. Hay, oak, salinity. A slightly medicinal note as well.

Swallow:
The long finish goes back to smoke, smoked (but not yet fried) bacon, hay and grassy peat.

This is exactly what Ledaig is known for. Big smoky notes, much like Islay whiskies. Because it’s already 15 years old it’s mellowed a little bit, but hasn’t lost too much of its intensity. A decade or so ago Ledaig was quite a clean whisky after being way too funky before. Now it sits somewhere in the middle and that gives it a lovely depth. Thoroughly enjoyable!

88/100