Although I’ve still to finish off the first sweep of the standard Islay malts the only remaining one was heavily mentioned in my recent book review so I think it’s time to venture further afield on the west coast.

The island of Mull has always been one of my very favourite places, ever since a lovely holiday early in married life. I saw my only “in the wild” otter there and despite twice having car problems have only good memories of the place. However when I first visited, the little distillery in Tobermory was the one downside as it was mothballed and looking a bit down at heel. Thankfully it has since been revived and there are two versions of its output fairly readily available. One uses the modern name of that most picturesque of villages while the other uses the old name. This time round we look at the old one.

Ledaig - 10 years old, 40%

Colour

Pale straw

Nose

Spirity with just a hint of oiliness.

Taste

Initial taste
Soft and fairly dry. There is no particularly over-riding flavour - very little peat or smoke, although a taste of peat ash comes through after a couple of minutes. A mild lemon appears shortly after.

Later taste
Curiously this dram seems to get stronger the longer you leave it. A warmer richer taste replaces the lemon and the nose seems to become sharper. There are some brief notes of what might become floral but these are short-lived. There is also something that reminds me of some herbs but I haven’t been able to identify which ones as yet.

Finish

Medium length.

Conclusion

After having spent the last few months with the heavyweight Islays I’ve had to readjust my expectations. All single malts can’t be in the top 5% or be deep and challenging but that doesn’t make then unworthy of drinking at the right time. I may also have to retune my tastebuds because malts that other people describe as peaty seem to me to be devoid of that taste!

On the strength of this tasting, and I’d like to try it again, Ledaig appears to have little of the complexity of its more celebrated island cousins. This is a much simpler spirit, which in some ways echoes its Tobermory origins, clean, light and relaxing, but with an inate strength that underpins it. If you like the west coast or island style but balk at the salty and/or peaty superstars then this might just be for you.