Ledaig 11 Year Old 1997 Dun Bheagan

Dun Bheagan is a label marketed by Ian MacLeods Distillers (who also own Glengoyne and Tamdhu) and usually contains relatively young whisky at an attractive price. This 11 Year Old Ledaig was finished in Tokaji Wood. Tokaj is a wine region in Hungary/Slowakia, known for their sweet (although there is a dry variety as well), blond, spicy wines. I wonder if this wine finish will be hit or miss.

The typical Ledaig traits are there (smoke, ash, silt, white fruit), but is overpowered by the wine that gives it a very sweet edge. Peach, plums, gooseberries. Not bad, but somehow it bothers me a bid. There seems to be no harmony.

It is a bit oily and nicely mouth coating and lets the sweet fruit speak first. Then the peat can get to work. But the flavours seems little integrated. They follow each other and seem to be in each others way. A small soury touch too. As far as I am concerned, it does not work well.

The finish is fairly long, sweet and sour with smoke.

Wine finishes are always hit & miss, like I said. This one is a miss in my opinion. If every aroma and flavour were an instrument, this whisky would be a cacophony. Used to be around 40 EUR.

Find where to buy Ledaig whisky