Ledaig 7 yo 2005 Douglas Laing Provenance #9654 vs Ledaig 8 yo 2001 / 2010 Nectar of the Daily Drams

Quite sure I am not the only one who thinks Tobermory should just make Ledaig full time. Some of the stuff Tobermory has been putting out this side of 2000 has been astonishingly good.

Ledaig 7 yo 2005 Douglas Laing Provenance #9654 46%

 Nose: Lots of young smoky malt, big on peat and smoke. Young but upfront in character. It’s a green ‘fresh roots’ sort of peat that comes across as being clean without any dirtiness. Salt, wet rocks, lemon slices, and a minty wintergreen or fishermans friend. Simple and good, seems to me to be the sort of heavy peater that’s of the clean but narrow type, which perhaps differentiates it from the Islay sort of heavy peat.

 Palate: Yes a repeat of the nose, also billowing white smoke, lots of menthol and minerals. Clean earth and fresh roots. Young malt.

Finish: long, clean again,smoke and lemons, and also seashore. So quite ‘prototypical’ if lacking a bit of a depth.

Ledaig 8 yo 2001 / 2010 Nectar of the Daily Drams 61%

 Nose: A marked difference, this one is thickly oiled, and immensely peaty and smoky without being too ashy. It’s that clean earth and roots sort of peat but the intensity is multiplied. Seashore, hot sand, menthol oil, almond oil, drops of some camphorous medicine. Very precise and cutting, but just immense and yet perfectly drinkable at 61%.

 Palate: As expected prepare for the immensity. Lemons, salt, coast, coals, huge smoke and peat, weighty oils, and yet clean with great ‘clarity’. This is a seriously good young Ledaig, no obvious young malt character too. Very focused.

 Finish: Long, rooty, green mint, smoke and lemons. Mind blowing at 8 years.