Ledaig 12 Year Old 2008 Connoisseurs Choice

The ninth and final Ledaig from the Connoisseurs Choice series is offered in new livery. Also, it belongs in the sub-category ‘Wood Finished’. This one matured on Refill Sherry Hogsheads, but then got a finish of no less than three years on Hermitage casks. That a wine from Northern Rhone in France. Around 70% of the wine produced there is red, the rest white. Hermitage has an AOC since 1937. The wine cask gave this Ledaig a bronze color. It was cut to the somewhat unconventional strength of 45%.

There is a lot going on on the nose. At first I get clear notes of red wine, including tannins, but that is quickly joined by peatsmoke and woodsmoke before red berries, toffee and cherry candy make their entrance. That something umami like smoke ham. Or is it bacon? Finally a bit of salt appears, but the whole is nicely balanced.

The body is light and that turns this into a mild Ledaig. Sweet, sour and salty struggle for your attention and that’s just fine, except that the distillery character is completely gone. This might as well have been an Islay malt or and Ardmore. Not that it bothers much.

The medium long and pleasant finish offers up more wine notes. It’s almost as if I have just sipped some smoky red wine, in fact.

I confess, I don’t think I’ve ever had any Hermitage wine, but this one clearly put its foot down on this Ledaig.

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