Ledaig 23 Year Old 1998 Barrel Selection Special Release

The advantage as well as disadvantage of tasting as much as I do is that I often think I have a series ready for publication, but by the time I am ready to put the notes online, a new release will appear. This Ledaig matured on an oloroso sherry cask for 23 years and the label proudly boasts 100% UK Proof, which equates to 57.1%. Strangely enough, there is also Ledaig Distillery on the label. That must be Tobermory, of course. Anyway, let’s just taste, shall we?

Oh, yes, dirty nose! Plasticine, wet earth, bicycle tire and cow pat supplemented with roasted pine nuts, smoked ham, candied apricots and marzipan. Rotting wood comes on strong and when I reread this I think you might be put off, but believe me: this is delicious! Granted, it's a style you have to get used to. As it breathes, it gets more sweet. Getting better and better.

Deliciously oily on the tongue and blissfully seasoned. Both salt and pepper and all kinds of green garden herbs. Something medicinal rears its head. The sweet notes of apple, apricot and oranges are quickly submerged in brackish water and wrapped in a smoky jacket. Mighty dram.

The aftertaste is medium-long and smoky and still has a sweetness on the deathbed in the form of salted caramel. Oops, contradictio in terminis.

Excellent Ledaig. That being said, it does come to about EUR 300, which I think is just a little too much. Thank you, Manny!

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