Re-tasting my first ever Ledaig, paired with a newer one, not even half its age.

I remember back in 2007, I think it was, when I purchased a similar miniature at the Cadenhead's whisky shop in Covent Garden, London. The shop is now moved elsewhere, but I still to this day remember bickering with the clerk that day. I insisted Smokehead was a single malt whisky, whilst he refused that stating that only whisky bottles with distillery names on them could be single malts. He was not very far off his pension age, and I was a cocky young man. How times flies by, back then I guess it was a discussion between recently gained knowledge and experience from days gone by. Needless to say, that Smokehead I bought was my first ever full bottle of whisky, and it was all distilled at Caol Ila distillery. :-)


Ledaig 6yo 2005-2012 53.6% Malts of Scotland cask#12027

Only 6yo and already dropped well below 55%abv? Greedy angels.. The color is pale straw. It smells coastal, sea salt, smoked salmon, smoked herring, cigar smoke, peat, bonfire, ashes, earthy, damp, licorice, stale grass, compost. It's not very spirity, as one could suggest at this age. The taste is peaty, peppery, very powerful, salty, green peppercorns, pickled onions, sweet vinegar, wasabi, oaky, lime peel, lime juice, very bitter citric notes on the finish. Let's add some water. Now it turns a bit oakier, more salt, bacon grease, smoked meat, it improves by becoming gentler, and dressing up like a much more mature malt. Well done!

Without water it's a 5.5, with added water it becomes a: 6


Ledaig 15yo 56% Cadenhead's

No vintage on this thing, but I'm guessing it was bottled around the mid nineties. The color is golden. It smells peaty, vanilla, smoke, ashes, mild minty, spearmint perhaps, sweet white wine, a much more rounded and well mannered Ledaig, but its not as coastal either. Reminds me a bit of Ardmore from bourbon wood. The taste is more on lemon, sour, grapefruit, slightly bitter, grenadine, white rum, oaky, The finish is bitter. With water it turns sweeter, sodapops, honey, fizzy drinks, really a lot of weird swetness now. One to keep bare.

I can't remember my initial score, but this time its a: 4.5



Next tasting: Fettercairn Distilery