Chinese bottler Oxhead Whisky sent us their latest releases. One is a Ledaig 2002 – a name they’ve released several times before. This is part of the Spirit Medicine series. I really like the style of the label: it does genuinely feel like a temporary apothecary label from the past.
However we start this session with a 25 year old Ben Nevis 1998.
Ben Nevis 25 yo 1998 (48,7%, Oxhead Whisky & Vinehoo 2023, hogshead #757)
Nose: the usual sunflower oils, with hints of putty and citrus. Lemon peels and green banana, mixed with pine needles. Then hints of damp clay, grease and wool. Some grassy notes and dried herbs too. While rather classic in terms of aromas, it does feel a little restrained.
Mouth: same waxiness with round lemons and lots of mineral notes. More putty, hints of wet stones and ink. A mild dirtiness. Chalky notes, leafy notes, a hint of bitter almond. It misses most of the fruity notes that we like to see here though, especially the tropical notes of the 1995/1996 vintages.
Finish: long, chalky and lemony, with plenty of leafy notes.
By no means a bad whisky, but this one focuses mostly on the leafy, greasy and slightly dirty side of Ben Nevis, losing a bit of brightness and excitement along the way. It also lacks the brilliant fruits of the best vintages.
Ledaig 21 yo 2002 (48,5%, Oxhead Whisky ‘Spirit Medicine’ 2024, sherry hogshead #961)
Nose: sooty smoke, bonfire embers and ink, with generous farmyard notes. Then sheep wool, hints of fresh oysters and bread. Some roasted peanuts and mild antiseptics in the background. Textbook Ledaig.
Mouth: a nice fatty texture. Tarry ropes, hessian and dried kelp. Dry peat smoke underneath. Then some salty liquorice, aniseed and burnt toast. A combination of salted peanuts and lemon as well. Subtle melon sweetness in the background.
Finish: long, maritime, with more tar but also a sweet smokiness. Smoked tea and hints of chocolate.
The combination of hearty smoke and sweetness brings this close to Lagavulin at times. Powerful and drinkable at the same time, just not extremely complex. Not sure where you can get this – their website seems to be down as well. Score: 88/100