Ledaig 10 YO – a peated stranger who hails from the isle of Mull

There are many whiskies I haven’t tasted (yet) but once in a while, now and then, a newcomer makes it final steps into my glass. I’ve had a meeting with a very different Ledaig two years ago (http://savuista.blogspot.fi/2013/06/black-corbie-by-ledaig-cask-800102.html ). Juhannus, the Midsummer, was during the last weekend so it is appropriate to write about this too.

The Ledaig 10 years old (46.3%) is the standard issue. Unchillfiltered. You can find this from normal stores – or you can take a trip to Estonia to get it in a lower price (looking from Finland’s perspective). Stepping ahead of myself, this is good quality for it’s price – and it even does not have much smoke in it.
Last year this dram would have been the most welcome: it was a damp, rainy and cold Juhannus. We’ll see how it goes on this year, but I’d suspect that even it the weather is better this dram will do just nicely.
I love the nose in this one. It is peaty and a bit smoky. But it is also very delicate: if you taste this after Ardbeg 10YO you will be lost. But if you start the tasting with this one.. then you’ll get the pleasant peat and smoke in there.
The palate is strong for it’s power. This is more raw and unfinished, than you’d expect. After the fiery touch of fire god’s tongue you find out about the pepper and smoke, about the wood and.. a taste bit like Jura. For me, this shares a lot of similarities with isle of Jura whiskies.
The finish is nice, real nice. It lasts long enough and will open up possibilities to share yet another tale about the times when the fire god was young and titans were just emerging.. in the Midsummer’s magic.

Black Corbie by Ledaig, cask 800102 – Midsummer Night Tale

Juhannus, the Midsummer Night, is almost here. Time to prep up your magic, memorize tales and spells and of course enjoy this fascinating time of the year when the day is at it’s longest and the night is but a faint memory of what it was.. There is light and enchantment so much in the air, so you can fly.

While I know I should perhaps blog about a Islay Whisky, I do a exception. This one deserves it. It is out of Ledaig-distillery, which does not lie residence in the island of Islay. This one’s technical specs are: single cask #800102, matured in refill sherry, bottle 176/300, distilled 7.11.2005 and bottled 27.3.2013. Oh, and this is cask strength: 60.6%.

There is a lots of earth and peat in here. Smoke. Sweet smoke that comes out of bonfires, smoldering in late night when sun rises slowly. In Finland that is in the middle of the night, our summer days are long and nights filled with light. Where I live, the sun goes below the horizon but just barely.. You can sit by the fire and keep it burning, while chattering with friends until the daylight emerges. This comes with a lots of smoke, a trait that rarely is seen outside Islay wonderlands.

Taste is strong, and comes with a haymaker. Biting, but sweet and peat smoke is all present. There are ghosts and future, while you dive into deep sensations layered around this dram. Dryness, sweetness and bite all take their turns. Powerful and filled with magic. I didn’t know, I’d say this was born on Islay. There is a hunter and the pray, running on hills and crossing lakes. The night is endless and Finnish old gods rejoice in the wild forests where mortals can’t enter anymore. Ilmarinen blacksmithing, Ukko roaring and Ahti swimming while bears dance around the big fire. You go through those tales and poets that gave base for Kalevala (Finnish mythos) and you’d expect to see Väinämöinen ( a hero ) walk by the fields any moment.

This dram clearly is “of smokes” and peaty. This one slings me onto worlds where imagination is but the portal to be entered. I recommend to sample this, in case smoke and peak makes you tick as it does me!