We’ve had unpeated Ledaig before. In case you’re wondering why the unpeated spirit is called Ledaig instead of Tobermory: it is because of longer fermentation times, different cut points and reflux settings.
This bottling is from The Maltman. It was finished for seven weeks in a Château Margaux cask.
Ledaig 27 yo 1996 – Non Peated (47,7%, The Maltman 2023, Chateau Margaux finish#7709, 250 btl.)
Nose: brown bread, with milk chocolate, ginger, caramelized peanuts and hints of peppercorns. Then light paraffin and tobacco leaves. Hints of red berries and lemon cough drops in the background. Rather sharp herbal notes. Slightly winey but definitely not overdone.
Mouth: again a clear winey marker, but within limits. Butterscotch, caramelized nuts, candied ginger and liquorice. Tangy pepper, leathery notes, strawberries. Then some tannins and drying cocoa towards the end, along with mixed herbs (lightly bitter) and hints of toast.
Finish: good length, with citrus peels, herbs, pepper and salted liquorice.
I only found out this was finished in a red wine cask after I ordered the sample, but I don’t regret it. The wine isn’t taking over and these unpeated Ledaigs are always quite complex and unique in my opinion. Still available from Whiskysite.nl for instance.