Ledaig 1983

This Ledaig – distilled in 1983 – is all but gone. You cannot find it anywhere. It was bottled in 2002. My good friend Timon of PROOF gave me a sample. Mind you: this is from his personal collection, so I cannot say whether you’ll find this bottle on the shelves in Gent, but there is a whole range of bottles worth dropping in for. This Ledaig is surprisingly dark, making me venture some sherry cask was involved.

After almost 20 years, the peat is all but matured out of this one, that much is clear. For this is dark and sweet and very aromatic. Yes, it did retain some of the peat, but all the way in the back. Your nostrils will be filled with dark and sweet notes like toffee, raisins and candied orange peel. Toffee apples and chocolate. I think the word ‘delicious’ was invented by the guy who was nosing this!

Admittedly, the body is rather light. It has lost a bit of its power. But the taste is fine. Raisins and dades in droves. Not something you would expect from Ledaig, right? Some blood oranges and dried plums. And then the salt kicks in – with a lovely trace of smoke – to remind you that this is Ledaig after all. How beautiful.

The sweet and warm finish puts a big smile on my silly face, but I would not have minded if it were just a tad longer.

‘They don’t make ‘m like that no more, squire!’ Don’t I know it. Thanks, Timons, what a party!

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